Weigh-In Wednesday #2

I lost 2 pounds this week!  I was hoping for a little more.  My mom pointed out that if I loose 2 pounds every week this year my total weight loss would be 104 pounds...totally doable.  I did pretty well this week.  I made much healthier chooses when eating.  We went out to eat at Red Robin Saturday to celebrate our birthdays and I ordered to Royal Red Robin burger, sweet potato fries and water.  The unhealthy me would have ordered the fish burger, garlic fries and coke.  I started the Jillian Micheals Shred-It with weight workout and LOVE it.  I have exercised everyday this week and stayed more active (not a lot of sitting).  I can tell that I am starting to feel better and I am liking the way I feel which has me totally motivated to keep going.

Weigh-In Wednesday #1

 

I am determined to loose weight this year.  I have to loose weight this year.  I am overweight and my obesity is really taking control of my life.  My mind is in the right place, I want to do this and I know I can do this.  I have a plan!  My plan includes documenting my weight loss journey for all to see.  So here it is...my 1st weigh in day.  

My starting weight is 262.5 pounds, the heaviest I have ever been.  My goal weight is 160 pounds, the high end of healthy for my height.  I don't want to just loose weight, I want to be healthy too so my plan involves several lifestyle changes - healthy eating, daily exercise, positive outlook.  I will share it all, the good and the bad.  Let the journey to skinny begin...

Goodbye 2013

We are 2 days away from a new year and with a a new year comes new beginnings and our family is determined to make 2014 the best year ever!

This year (2013) has been a crazy year for us with lots of ups and downs.

The year started out with the stress of house hunting.  We were living in a rental house that we had been in for 2 years and our hopes were to renew our lease for one more year but the owners were wanting to sale.  The house was an old house and while it was fine as a rental it was not where we wanted to be long term so purchasing it was not an option.  We set out on the great house hunt and prayed it would not take us long to find the "perfect house".  We financially were not ready to buy so we knew we were going to have to find a rental.  We really wanted to stay in the Byar Dowdy school zone which narrowed our choose way down.  We started searching in February after talking to our landlords.  We did not have to stress about hurrying to find a place since our lease wouldn't end till June.  We did not have to stress about breaking our lease if we had to "jump" on a place since our landlords gave us the go-ahead to end our lease early if we needed to.  We set our budget and started our search.  We checked out a couple of places but nothing worked.  We had set a budget of $900 and after looking at a few places decided that if we needed to we would raise the budget but we really didn't want to go above $1,000.  I found an ad on Craigslist that sounded exactly like what we were wanting - 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, Byar Dowdy school zone.  We set up a time to look at the house, the house was nice and it would work for us.  We knew there were other people looking at the house (a family was leaving as we arrived).  We were kind of bummed to hear that they had put a deposit down and if everything checked out the house would be theirs.  We weren't in love with the house and were bummed because we did not want the house hunt to go on for weeks.  Our prayers for a quick house hunt were answered the following day when we received an email from the owner of the house that we had looked at, letting us know that the people had changed their minds and did not want the house.  We set up a time to look at the house again and meet with the owner to go over details.  We fell in love with the house on the second walk-through as we looked closer at details.  We filled out the application and gave our deposit and prayed we would be approved.  Our prayers were answered again when we got the call that we were approved.  We moved in at the end of March and have loved living here. The house is the perfect for us and our prayer now is that we can make this house our forever home.

A major down this year has been our finances.  We are still digging out of the hole that we got in when Richard was unemployed.  We get discouraged at times but we know God will provide.

A big up for us this year was finding a church home.  We have visited a few congregations and while they have all had their pluses none of them felt like home.  I was eating breakfast at school with Daniel one morning and one of his teachers (Ms. Marie) and I were talking and I mentioned that we were members of the Church of Christ.  She said that she was a member of the Church of Christ and invited us to visit.  We are so thankful for that random conversation and are happy to say that we have found our church home at Berea Church of Christ.

Richard was involved in a car accident on September the 13th.  Our van was totaled, leaving us without a car and adding an additional expense to our already stretched budget.  My mom & dad are letting us use one of their cars until we can get a car (save up a down payment).  We are extremely thankful for the use of their car but we are ready to have our own car.  We are pretty bummed about this but like our finances (lack there of) we know that God will provide.

Because of our lack of income, broken promises and lack of growth that Dell provided (or didn't provide) Richard made the decision to look for another job (a better job).  He started his job search in August and had a few interviews that did not lead into jobs.  He seemed to get disappointed after each interview and rejection.  He got a call one day to be a reference for a co-worker and during that call the lady asked Richard if he was looking for a job.  (The friend had mentioned that Richard was possibly looking for a job.)  Richard said that he was and she did a brief phone interview with him and a few days later he had an in person interview.   To make a long story short...Richard is now a working in the IT department at Captain D's and is loving his job.

We ended the year by saying goodbye to my 100 year old grandmother.  Maw was a one-of-a-kind woman that let nothing stop her.  I miss her and would love to still have her here but I know that she is right where she wants to be...in heaven.

We are thankful for this year, we are thankful for the ups and downs and we look forward to 2014 and all the ups and downs that it will bring. 

Happy 2013

Happy 2013!  I am excited about starting a new year.  We sat down the other day and made some goals for ourselves - individual and family -personal, financial and fun -some easy and quick to reach and others will take some planning and saving but all are attainable and once met will improve our lives in all ways.  We will also be sharing some of these goals so that we can look back and see how we improved, to hold ourselves accountable and so others might be inspired. 

Behind

I am soooooo behind!  Time to catch up.....

Wordless Wednesday - Morning Brotherly Love

1st Day of 1st Grade

It's back to school time!  Daniel woke up ready to get his 1st day of 1st grade started.  Daniel is so excited about the new school year, he gave his teacher (Ms. Kasey) a big hug when he saw her this morning and I had to beg for a hug and kiss goodbye.  But, he was excited to to see me when I picked him up and immediately gave me a hug.  He said he had a great 1st day of 1st grade and talked nonstop about his new teachers (Ms. Kasey & Ms. Marie) and his friends (some old, some new).  We celebrated a great 1st day of 1st grade with ice cream at Snow White Diner.  (Yum!)

Schedule Change

Richard has been working 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday nights for the past 11 months.  We are thankful he has a job but HATE his schedule!  We have had one day a week to spend time together or work on major house projects or schedule appointments.  We need Daddy more than one day a week and Daddy needs some "real" time off. 
Richard starts a new schedule this week, he will still be working 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. but he will be working for days in a row (Wednesday-Saturday) which means we will have Sunday-Tuesday together.  Sundays always consist of Richard coming home from work, us rushing out the door to attended worship services and then home for lunch naps and relaxation.  That will not change.  What we are most looking forward to is that we will have 2 full days (Monday & Tuesday) in a row to be together.   

Boys in my House

There are boys in my house - and Spiderman shoes
And 200 papers in various blues.
There's Bob (he's a builder) and Thomas the Train,
There's a fireman coat to wear in the rain.

They have cars on their shirts and frogs on their hats
There's a glove and a ball and a red plastic bat.
There's dirt on a face and a smudge on a nose;
Grass stains on knees and sand between toes.
There's bath time at night with bodies to scrub,
And when we're all done there is dirt in the tub!

There's band-aids and bruises and curious bumps,
There's smiles and laughter and sometimes there's grumps.
There's odors most icky; there's boogers so green
There's more yucky things than I'll ever get clean.
There's piles of laundry; there's stories at night;
There's bedtime and bath time and dinner time fights.

There's cars and there's trains and there's books about trucks
There's Scoop, Lofty, Dizzy, and Travis, and Muck.
Sometimes there are bugs, and sometimes there are frogs;
Sometimes they are lions, or dinos, or dogs.

 

       There are cute little vests and darling neckties
Dragged right through the mud – oh what a surprise!
There's running and climbing and jumping and falling
And laughing and crying and hugging and brawling
And rolling and losing and finding and creeping
And whining and stealing and sometimes there's sleeping.
There's tantrums and time outs and extra loud noise –
There's love in my house shaped like three little boys.

-Author Unknown

Our Prayers

A year ago we were rejoicing that Richard had been offered a job after a long, grueling 2 year job search. The offer was a blessing in lots of ways but we were left with having to make a decision on where to live. Our lease on our home was almost up and we knew we could not really afford to renew our lease, the rent cost was way over our budget, Richard's commute was long, gas was costly and the list could go on. The decision to look for a cheaper place to live came pretty easy, it was something that had to be done. So the hunt began.....
We REALLY wanted to stay in the Gallatin/Hendersonville area but we our search to find a house within our budget was failing. We chose to expand our search to the Mt. Juliet/Lebanon area after discovering that those areas would actually be a little more convinent for Richard's commute. We found a house in Lebanon that had everything we were looking for cheaper rent, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, an office area, hardwood floors, a fenced in backyard and convinent. We breathed a sigh of relief when we got the call that the house was ours and started packing boxes. The move was hard. Richard was working full time. I was packing and getting ready for the move while being a full time mommy to 3 toddlers. Grueling!
We have lived in Lebanon for 10 months and while there are several things that we like about living here we are not 100% happy. Richard's job is not working out like we had thought it would. There were some promises made when he was hired that is not being followed through with. He started working 3rd shift in August and it has been TORTURE. But, we are thankful that he has a job in a time where there are a lot of people without a job.
Richard started a job searching before Christmas, his crazy work schedule does not leave a lot of time to job search but he has submitted for a a few positions and has had a few interviews.
My mom sent us an email on Thursday, March 15, there was an IT job for ISR Group posted in the paper. ISR Group is a company that Richard dreams of working for. We checked out the job posting and were excited to learn that Richard met the qualifications. Richard polished up his resume and submitted it on Saturday. We started praying immediately. A job at ISR Group would be PERFECT for our family. Richard received a call on Friday, March 23 asking if he could come in for an interview on Wednesday, March 28. Richard said yes and we begin planning and our prayers changed from asking for the interview to asking that the interview go well. Richard had to work Tuesday night which meant that I really needed to drive so he could sleep. We packed up the van and headed to Savannah after Richard got off work on Wednesday. While loading the van Richard made the comment that he sure hoped all the work was worth it. Richard napped in the van and had a couple of hours to prepare for the interview once we arrived to mom & dad's house. The interview went well and Richard's desire to work for ISR Group is even greater. We have been in constant prayers for Richard to be offered the job. The HR Manager said that they were interviewing last week, making a decision and offer this week and that the person would start in 2 weeks. We are ready! This job would bring such GREAT things for our family, more money, benefits, affordable cost of living, better schools for the boys, close to family and friends, a great church family and the list could go on. We both want this but don't want to get our hopes up. My hopes have been up since Richard got the call for the interview. I have prayed (more like begged) that this will happen. I am finding it extremely difficult not to get my hopes up. I know that God has BIG plans for our family and I trust him and will make the best of what he gives us but my thoughts are flooded with how GREAT a job with ISR Group would be for our family and I can't help but really, really want this and I am finding it extremely difficult to wait for God's answer.

Daniel's 1st Fracture

I received a call from Daniel's teacher a little before 1 today. She was calling to let me know that Daniel had fallen/jumped out of the swing when his class was coming in from playtime. He had landed on his left arm and knees. She said that he cried a little bit but she felt like he was not badly hurt but she wanted us to be aware of the accident just in case he complained of pain once he got home. My phone rang again about 20 minutes later and I noticed that the call was from Daniel's school. This time it was the nurse. Daniel's arm had started swelling right below the elbow and he was complaining that it hurt to bend or straighten his arm. I headed to the school to pick up Daniel and we immediately went to the ER at University Medical Center. The ER doctor looked at Daniel's elbow and arm and didn't see any visible signs of fractures. She ordered some x-rays just to be sure. The x-rays showed a fracture just below the elbow. The nurse splinted Daniel's arm and put his arm in a sling. We were sent home with simple instructions -
1.) keep the splint on
2.) keep the splint dry
3.) do not bear weight on the arm
4.) take Tylenol, etc as needed for pain
5.) follow up with orthopedic doctor in 2-3 days
We made a quick stop at Kroger for a few groceries and Wendy's for supper before heading home. Daniel spent the most of the night on the couch watching shows. We just got Daniel into bed with his arm elevated on a pillow. Our prayer is for him to have a pain-free night.

A Shutterfly Christmas

The Christmas count down is on - 15 days! Are you ready? Tree trimmed? Presents bought and wrapped? Christmas cards sent?

I am almost ready. My tree is trimmed (just praying it is still standing Christmas morning). The only presents I have left to purchase are for the grandparents. I also still need to choose, order, address and mail out Christmas card. And I am completing my Christmas to-do list at Shutterfly.


Shutterfly has LOTS of great Christmas cards and Holiday cards to choose from. I have narrowed my choice down to 3 of the Christmas cards and once I get Richard's opinion I will be placing my order.

I am also planning to create a few special gifts for grandparents using pictures that we have made throughout the year. There are several great items to choose from at Shutterfly. Some of my favorites include the Photo Book, the calendar, the mouse pads, the photo mugs, the PhotoShow DVD and the Desk Organizer.

Note to my blogging friends: Shutterfly will give you 50 free cards for blogging!
You can read the instructions here.

Thank you Shutterfly!

Our Christmas Card

Peppermint Bliss Christmas Card

Personalize the christmas season with Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Rain, Rain
Go away.
Come again another day.
Daniel wants to play.
Rain, rain, go away.

The Old Farm House Dream

I have always dreamed of living in an old farm house (white with a green roof, hardwood floors and big porch). We drove past an old farm house while on a Hollins Hayride Halloween night. Richard pointed out the "For Rent" sign to me and excitement set in. The following day I drove past the old farm house (in my van) and got the contact information off the "For Rent" sign. Richard called and the whole time I prayed that the rent would be much cheaper then what we are paying now (a for sure "sale"). The rent is not cheaper, it's the same but when you consider that the old farm house is LOTS closer to town a move (sort of) makes sense (at least a consideration does). We went buy and looked at the old farm house and fell in L-O-V-E. The house is on a dead end street (near the end) on 2 acres of beautiful land with lots of places for the boys to run and play. The house is a great size (almost too big) and has LOTS of storage. Right now the house is still a dream but I am praying that one day it will be a reality.

the back
(I love the large deck and screened porch)

back and side yard - BEAUTIFUL

back yard with storage shed

back yard with green house

The Old Farm House Dream II (Inside)

front door with beautiful stained glass

living room
(doorway leads to what I would make the
den/guest room)

living room - marble surround gas fireplace
(french doors lead to dining room)

HUGE dining room (the mirror would go)

HUGE kitchen

appliances (I am not a huge fan of the appliances/layout)

I LOVE the gas fireplace in the kitchen

sunroom
( My favorite part of the house.)

hallway/sunroom leading to guest bath

guest bath

hallway leading to laundry room, half bath and master suite

laundry room

master suite with ugly grayish white paneling

master suite
(I would use this area as an office/sitting room)

There are several changes that we would make if this home was ours (update the bathrooms, redo the 1/2 bath, laundry room and kitchen and remove/paint the paneling to start). We love the space (3,000 square feet). We love the architect of the house (the old farm house character). This house is in amazing shape and it is old (circa early 1900s).

The Old Farm House Dream III (Upstairs)

upstairs hallway looking down

doorway into upstairs bedroom #1
(I really liked the looks of the bedroom doors)

bedroom #1 with ugly brown paneling

bedroom #2 with ugly grayish white paneling and hideous window AC unit

The upstairs of the house is our least favorite. There are 2 big rooms that are perfect for the boys to share or one room could be used as a bedroom for all 3 and the other for a playroom. What we don't like is the paneling and the air conditioning window units. We also wish there was a bathroom upstairs. Richard said that he would love to totally remodel the upstairs. (Our other dream is to have an endless supply of money.)

Praying for Answers

-We are praying for answers in regards to 2 major needs.

-Our first prayer is that Richard will receive a job offer. He is an interview at 8:00 this morning. I am really feeling good about this interview and Richard is to. (I think.) It's hard to explain.....I have had a feeling that this was his job (or future job) when I saw the job posting and e-mailed it to him. He applied and less then a week later received a call for an interview. There is a peace that feels me when I think of him going for this interview - this is it. Maybe it is wishful thinking but I sure hope not, we NEED this.

-Our second prayer that we find out what Daniel is allergic too. What is causing all the runny noses that seem to quickly turn into pneumonia and all that asthma attacks that require at least a 4 day hospital stay????? Daniel has an appointment with a specialist today at Vanderbilt Children's Allergy Clinic with Dr. Meghan Lemke and will have prick skin allergy testing done. We had to stop Daniel's allergy medicine (Zyrtec) 10 days ago (on Saturday the 11th). Daniel woke up with a runny nose on Sunday and has had problems with runny nose, coughing and congestion every day since. We have had to give him a breathing treatment almost daily. It is obvious to us that Daniel is allergic to something and really needs that Zyrtec. We are ready for answers and ready to start the Zyrtec.

-We ask that you pray with us for the answers that we need. We promise to let you know God's answers to these 2 specific prayers as soon as possible.