#FitByFirst, Day 22- But this has very little to do with that

Well the invasion of college kids has turned into a wonderful time.

Scotty is like a son to me, 
best friends with my oldest since 2004 I've watched this guy grow up.

He is Aubry's "bubby" and always a welcome addition to the house!

Not only did he go away to Virginia for college but his parents, who are our dear friends, moved there as well; so school breaks when he wants some FL time he bunks with us!

He left a week ago but what a precious picture of he and Aubry.

Speaking of Aubry May;

she and I filmed our first video podcast!!!

Crazy fun- I know!!

While I am sure of what a video is I am not sure technically what a podcast is? 

It seems like a compound word so can anyone break that down for me?

But whatever a podcast really is-- we shot one,

I will get that up here soon.

Its just a quick review of a super fun find we nabbed last week.

#FitByFirst 

oh what a fun few weeks we had.

#FitByFirst has gone to the wayside.

Your e-mails are sitting in a pile somewhere with all my old gym memberships.

Lost, never to be found or used again.

OK so maybe that's not true.

#FitByFirst kick started me, again, to making better lifestyle choices.

I need that push sometimes.

That push into not eating sweets,

that push to get outside and move more,

that push to love the hard to love,

to think outside myself,

to do what's hard...

see how one push can cause a domino effect...

I have been being mindful of what enters my mouth

and seeking every day to focus my thoughts,

my self-talk,

my downtime

on worshipping God.

Singing worship music.

I have a playlist right now of about 5 songs.

Over and over.

The same 5 songs

each one packed with truth of who God is.

Ascend the Hill has a great worship album.

All the old hymns,

with a sound I like.

If you asked me what 1 album I listen to the most right now, that would be it.

So life is peaceful and fun right now.

Looking with anticipation and excitement for the Christmas season this year ( I wrote this before Christmas and we had a relaxing day).

Beginning now to thank God for a year of provision in 2015, we are stepping out in faith in 2015 and so I give each step and decision of this upcoming year to Him, the Ancient of Days. And fear, may the perfect love of God drive out any fear that starts to creep into my mind, my heart, my life.

Well, we are driving to Ocala today to see Aubry's bio-dad's family; 

and him.

It's weird.

It's like a divorced family,

sort of,

not really.

But it's good,

and healthy.

Some think I am crazy, 2 hours.

Some say they should come here.

I say: a nice little roadtrip with my man and my girl- um, yes!

I say: family is worth it and Aubry May brings love and joy and noise and bossiness wherever she goes.

How can I deny that to this group of her gene-sharers?

Stay tuned for podcast.

xoxo

-m

#FitByFirst, Day 6

Weekend!!

Today's assignment was to get out and have fun moving.

Went with a friend on a walk to a local park pulling 3 kids in a wagon,

ok so said friend took her turn at pulling them too!

Tonight was Illana's birthday party and what fun it was. 

The tables were set up so cute and the cake was de-lish!!

I had the privilege to make some signs for the party and Steve was in charge of the campfire.

I took just a few pictures but I think you get the idea- I just love the tee-pee

tee pee on left- so cute

Blogging every day has been a challenge.

I like it though.

Blogging every day

and

the challenge.

I will most likely take Sundays off from blogging this journey so if you don't hear from me don't worry I'll be back on Monday.

********************************

today's notes...

FITNESS

I moved, see above

FOOD INTAKE

good, healthy, green today---

except for the cake, and pizza (only one small piece)--- hey it was a granddaughter's birthday party!!

Oh and I had sweet tea-- yummy but not a good thing for me to have....

...sweet tea just seems to call my name, well scream it

and

I can't seem to stop drinking it once I start.

BAD HABITS

NO MORE SWEET TEA

Well, happy Saturday

I hope to have a night full of tv watching.

-m

Moment Rescued

I really wanted to share this moment with you all that I had while in Orlando for my 40th birthday last month.

As Steve and I rode on one of resort buses two couple who were vacationing together, their deep-southern accents and Disney t-shirt gave them away. 

So these two couple are conversing and the one dad says to the daughter in the other family ,"boy you're white" and he continued to made comments on her pasty white skin.

I felt uncomfortable, even Steve was aware of the awkwardness.

So I spoke up saying something like, "Yeah I love how Madonna does the pasty white, she really looks great and so young and makes it nice for the rest of us whiteys."

Carlos and I back in 2008 at a Blog Party

The girl cracked a smile and the mom chimed right in agreeing and smiling, I could tell she was feeling less like slugging that guy but still sure she'd never vacation with him again.

The mood lightened,
the mean mouther turned his head and shut his mouth,
I made a few new friends on a bus at Universal Orlando
and I believe
a moment was rescued.

My friend, Carlos Whittaker, wrote a book about Moments and making them, well great!

It was after we got off the bus that night last month that I realized what a moment I had just been a part of.

Jesus was all about rescuing moments.
He was all about making moments and making each moment count.

I have an extra copy of the book Moment Maker if you want to swing by and pick it up or it's worth the cash, go buy it on Amazon.

Just wanting to share a smiley story with you.
Coming soon.... my Fit by the First challenge journey.

XOXO
-m

Happy New Year

Wow 2014 is upon us!
Time surely does fly. 

I have to say it's been a tough holiday season.
Not sure why, perhaps it's my fed-upness with the commercialism of the holiday, or maybe it's my grinchness tendencies creeping in; whatever the reason I surely had a great Christmas and Thanksgiving season there was just a bit of toughness in it all.

In other news: parenting this time around seems to be a lot harder,
maybe it is,
maybe it isn't.

That's the thing about parenting and kids and childbirth and all of life's hard times, 
as time goes by those past struggles turn to memories and somehow through the grace of God they all seem to be good, filled with only happy times, enjoyable; at least that's how it is for me.

So we've signed up, ok, ok I signed us up, for a parenting book study. It's based on the book I read and learned from when the boys were born; Making Your Children Mind Without Losing Yours.
Perhaps a mental reminder for this old soul on how the heck to parent a toddler, again.

I'm not a new years resolution person but this year I have some hopes and changes that I am trusting to God.

Aubry's adoption.
I'm not sure when the reality of the fact that we'd keep her forever set in but it did, and I trust this year will be the year we get to officially be her parents and not just her relative caregivers.

Justin's off to college.
Yes, Lord willing Justin will be off to University of Central Florida in the fall. He will graduate high school this spring and then off to college for a semester before plans to marry in a year. Being the product of his parents he is still unsure what he wants to do with his life. Someone along the line told him that's perfectly fine because some of the most interesting 40-year-olds still don't know what they want to do with their lives. No matter he will fly the nest before I know it.

Travel.
Family memories made and time alone with Steve; two things that fuel my soul and keep me alive.

So happy 2014.
To a good year.
14 has always been my favorite number, I was assigned it in jr, high basketball. I read in a recent blog it the Lord's number times 2!

So 2014 - let's do this thing!

Trust and obey for there's no other way,

Happy Birthday to Him

He's pretty much why I started blogging. 

I didn't want to forget what he did, said or where he went. 

Now he's all grown up and turned 19 today.

He's an incredible dad and husband.

He walks a path that many don't dare step onto.

I can be hard on him sometimes.

Expect too much, maybe?

But, I love him.

He has a piece of my heart, ok it's more like a chunk of it.

He got me hooked on Superheros, comic books, video games and we share a love for an indoor cat.

I love him more than he knows.

Happy Birthday Vaughan.

Aubry's First B-Day

Aubry turned one on Sunday. We had a small party with her closest friends :)

That would be her family and her babysitters.

We opted to skip out on church since she had been sick all week and had been up for a nice 3 hour party in the middle of the night anyway.

When she did wake up I dressed her in her pre-party outfit.

A cute little outfit that Illana let her borrow with a brand new hair piece I got her off of Etsy.

 Aubry and I spent a chunk of time playing outside with the cats.

 Here she is following one under the chair.

Oh! She caught one. Toby is our biggest cat and when he is ready for some lovin' he is willing to let her hug and tug on him.

Inside was a different story. I made two banners for her the week and day of the party. One read "Hugs & Kisses" and the other "b-day wishes"

 She wore an ice cream dress and we made cupcakes in ice cream cones. She had both a golden butter cream cupcake and a chocolate one.

 Here's the best shot I got of her in her special birthday dress.

It was a good time. Her bio-mom showed up and I thought it went well. 

Only because of God's grace could I deal with the situation like I did.

A few of the guests, several actually, had a hard time seeing bio-mom with Aubry. They hurt for mom and the fact that she hadn't been a part of this precious ones life. 

Me? 

I felt indifferent. 

Sometimes I wonder if something is wrong with me in that I think "it is what it is".

Life is what is happening and I find it best to just do the next thing. To accept the here, the way things are and move on. God has a perfect Kingdom calendar, a perfect plan for my life and when things happen out of my control I find it best to just accept it and step forward.

Now don't get me wrong, sometimes I freak and scream and pitch a fit, but never did I wake up and think my life would take the turns it has taken. 

So when it came to the birthday party I did my best to include Aubry's bio-mom. For now the goal is reunification and I must do what I can on my part to cautiously make that transition the best for Aubry that it can be.

I love this little girl and I really don't want to let her go. She has a piece of my heart.

Who knows?

Who knows what tomorrow holds?

What is it for me to even speculate,

after all I'm ready for my Lord's return tonight.

Tomorrow may never come and when it does, 

when tomorrow comes and I am gone,

I will be forgotten, 

my life is like a flower in the field, the wind blows over it and it's place remembers it no more.

I do believe my Jesus footprint, however small, will carry on His love.

That's why I loved bio-mom yesterday.

That's why I do the next thing.

Hopefully it's the Jesus thing.

Following my Rabi,

More Easter Pictures

We saw this idea on Pinterest and since it was a last minute find tweaked the idea using cedar clippings to cover the tomb. Before we went to bed our table centerpiece looked like this:

Then since Nik and I were the first up we quickly went to see what had happened to our tomb and found this:

 Aubry has been sick and teething so she slept a lot in the day and stayed up and "partied" all night, I did pick out a cute little pink dress for here and some bunny slippers.

 Getting a still shot of Illana is a miracle in itself, these two are so cute together.

Happy day!

Christ Is Risen

He is risen indeed!!

From our family to yours...

 5 generations

Easter

Today I am prepping the house for Easter.
My only responsibility this year is to set the table!
I am working on making something like this for our table centerpiece,
we'll wake up and enjoy these yummy rolls, also found here, with a story, in addition to our traditional Sunday morning pancakes.
After eating lunch on Sunday we'll do a small Easter eggs hunt for the little ones.


Excited for a relaxing day, celebrating the resurrection of my Savior!
How wonderful it is that I serve a living God, 
a God who became man,
lived,
experienced all it is to be a man, 
to be a me,
then conquered death so that I might live.
Glory to God!
Peace to all!
Shalom friends,

My Birthday

I turned 37 this last week.

I'm not a big party person or one to ask for expensive gifts or trips, well OK I lied, I'd ask for an expensive trip.

Steve and I had plans to go to Busch Gardens for my special day, but since a storm was suppose to head that way we decided to stay home. Of course Florida weather men have been known to steer us wrong and the storm stayed south of us, and Tampa, and no rain fell.

Instead Steve and I decided to visit my favorite local botanical gardens and then we just drove around. 

I love to drive.

We rolled the windows down, put some music on and just let the open road lead the way. 

We ran across and old Florida boarding house on the river that is up for auction and had a blast exploring the grounds.

It was such a beautiful day and I am so blessed to have a wonderful man to share days like that with.

Now if only every day could be like that, wind in my hair not a care in the world- but something tells me day after day of that would not be as fun and special as it was on my 37th birthday! 

If you get the opportunity I suggest you do the same: grab the one you love, roll down the windows and just drive!

Summer 2011 To Do

Here's the start of my summer 2011 to do list...
1. Lighthouse

2. Busch Gardens - family vacation, first one in 5 years

3. Beach

4. visit Alaska

5. Beach

6. Pool

7. Detroit Mission Trip

8. Lots of Jeep rides with my Hottie

Happy Valentine's Day 2011

Happy Valentine's Day from our home to yours!

May you love those who are hard to,

thank thoe who are easy

and never think you are not loved.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life"

book of John chapter 3, verse 16

Valentine Breakfast Idea

Make your favorite pancake mix, I always use Bisquick!! Spoon into heart shapes.
Serve and enjoy!

Yummy and sweet for your loved ones!

We Survived Planet Wisdom 2011!!

Each January we travel as a high school youth group, well part of us anyway, to a conference somewhere about 2 hours away. Last year our youth pastor and his staff hosted, for lack of a better term, their own for our group of 30 or so students. This year we attended Planet Wisdom!Most of us had attended Planet Wisdom before as middle schoolers so we left with excitement in hearing Mark Matlock speak, laughing at the Skit Guys and worshipping with Dutton.


To stay in typical Thus Far fashion I've highlighted the weekend in pictures!

Van ride!!! No words can describe a van ride with 13 students, it is an experience sacred enough for only those who dare.

Some of my favorite people are in this photo, with Alex on the far right being a girl I've known for years and just found out on this trip, that she is originally from New Hampshire!!!!

And here is a little argument going on regarding who is better the Celtics or the Magic.

Waiting outside the conference, this would be 2 of my small group girls and my Justin wearing a borrowed pink hat- love that boy!

Some atmospheres lend to certain behaviors and games. For instance on any road trip a game of Mafia seems to break out on the van ride and then late at night before bedtime; when we get into any conference center this game breaks out. Not sure what it's called but it involves two people standing face to face and doing their best to force the other person to take a step with only the use of their hands.

Scotty seems to win the most.

Inside the conference.

Lunch on Saturday can get crazy. Here is Vaughan and Scott climbing a tree; please know that we care deeply for our students and don't let any crazy behavior take place; these two boys, one being my own, are expert tree climbers.

After the conference we helped break down the stage. While the conference was great we really want our students to have a heart for serving, for helping. So with no benefits attached our group of 30 stayed to coil up cords, break down tables, clean all trash in the theatre, box up the stage lighting, roll up the back drops and wheel all equipment into their tracker trailer.

Although it looks as though they are waiting around this group was waiting for instructions on how to break down and box up that whole beam of lighting they are standing next to.

When all was said and done I realized that the couple in charge of the technical Planet Wisdom stuff are good friends with the family who I have been praying for, a family I know through the blogging world one they know in flesh and blood life. You can click on the "Praying for Joanne" button on the top left of my blog to read more about that.

We also were told that the breakdown crew times their breakdown after each conference and with the help of our group they did it in record time. Our kids are that good, just sayin'. Praise the Lord.

I believe it is because our students are use to serving, they are use to looking at a situation seeing what needs to be done and doing it, asking what they can do next, listening and then doing it! Now some students still need a little work in this area but they're getting it.

Here's a view of the theatre from the stage perspective.

And of course what would any Planet Wisdom trip be without some sort of vehicle issue.

So that's it.

Another Planet Wisdom has come and gone, another weekend where I pray that God touched students lives to live differently. To understand the attributes of God, that He is:

All Powerful,
All Knowing,

in Control of everything,

Present Everywhere.

That He is:

Holy,

Just,

Loving,

Merciful.

And why that matters.

Why does that matter and how does it effect how they live on Monday morning when they trickle back into their regular lives.

How does it effect me? us?

As a Christ follower do I fully get this? Food for thought.