Monday Random

November 5, 2012 by · 2 Comments

I’ve got a hundred thoughts swimming through my head, but it’s far too late to try to actually make any of them sound intelligent. :)

Can I blame the time change?

I went to bed at 9:30 last night. Usually, I don’t even start blogging by then. I must have been exhausted. Actually, the tired probably had more to do with an early morning race and two hours of bowling in the afternoon. All fun, but definitely energy-zapping.

So it was Monday, and a mostly uneventful one…except for the stop sign I ran. Totally not kidding, totally feeling like a complete scatterbrain. I drive that route a dozen times a week…there’s no reason in the world for it. I took Maelie home after that and we stayed home for the rest of the day.

Though I did go work out tonight…for part of it. More on that tomorrow, maybe. I’m on a twoish-week running hiatus, and I can’t say I’m in love with the idea. But when one has a stress fracture, the only thing that helps is NOT doing the thing that caused it in the first place. (And, yes, I ran yesterday. With said stress fracture. Like I said, we’ll talk tomorrow. :))

Speaking of tomorrow, it’s Election Day.

Like y’all didn’t know that. Well, you did if you’re like me and have literally been counting down the days to the end of the the political ads and completely annoying and inconveniently timed phone calls. Anyway, you know what you need to do…so go do it. Obviously, our country needs some help…so vote for the candidate that will bring positive change. And that is ALL you’re gonna get from me as far as politics go.

Anyway, I’d be shocked if you didn’t know which side I party with. :)

Though I may kick up my heels and do a virtual jig if things end up like I’m hoping and praying they will. I’ll let you all know if I dance, k? 😉

I sent in an application today for something big. It’s not a job but definitely involves responsibility and a pretty incredible opportunity. I’m really praying…for God’s Will first, but also that His Will lines up with what I’d like to happen. :) Do you ever do that?

I guess I just need to remind myself that when I find my joy in Him, He’ll give me my desires.

I’ve been really lovin’ this song lately…singing-it-all-the-time lovin’. Have a listen and sing along. It’s a good one!

Thanks, friends, for stopping by the blog tonight.

Hope your Monday was good…and that it didn’t involve running any stop signs! 😉

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random, where I am

Current Favorites

October 22, 2012 by · 2 Comments

This is a fun one. I did it ages ago…we’ll see if my answers have changed. :)

  • Ice Cream Flavor: it sounds so good, I could go for anything right now! Something chocolate. :)
  • Sport: running, volleyball
  • Season: still fall :)
  • Hobby: crocheting, painting :)
  • Song: I have a lot right now. Probably Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting. Such a beautiful picture of life for me right now.

  • Band: Um???
  • Female artist: Mandisa, Kari Jobe
  • Male artist: Mark Schultz
  • Place to Hang Out: still coffee shops! Coffee, anyone?
  • Musical: still WICKED!
  • Book: Just got my hands on The Kite Runner and A Secret Kept. (Thanks, SS!) Can’t wait!
  • Color: orange/gray/lime green; brown/lime green/cream
  • Animal: still my golden retrievers! Love them and the crazy they add to life. :)
  • Food: pizza (pretty sure that one might never change!)
  • Drink: um, coffee? Duh… 😉 Diet Pepsi comes in at a close-ish second.
  • Subject in School: English
  • Flower: daisy
  • Veggie: eggplant (yeah, I know I’m weird)
  • Fruit: jeruk bali (from Indonesia…kind of like a grapefruit)
  • Music: praise and worship
  • Store: tough one…lately, Goodwill…so many fun possibilities! :)
  • Day of the Week: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday…all of them?
  • Number: don’t really have a favorite :) Though the number 17 seems to have had a repetitive significance in my life.
  • Movie: Confessions of a Shopaholic, Steel Magnolias
  • Pizza Topping: pineapple and roasted red peppers. (Yes, together. I’m weird. :))
  • Fast Food Restaurant: Chipotle
  • Vacation: probably still Bali…love me some sunshine and surfing!
  • Dessert: cheesecake…mmm, cheesecake.
  • TV Show: Um, TV? What’s that??? Kidding…I just don’t watch many shows. You know, it’s probably Little House on the Prairie. How can anyone NOT love Ma and Pa and Mary and Laura?
  • Place: Wherever I am. Really, really blessed that God brought us here. :)

What about you? If you’ve got time, leave your faves in the comments!

Happy Monday! :)

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, just life, random, where I am

Random on a Sick Day

October 10, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

We are home sick.

As in, Mae is sick, I am home. Poor, sleepless, both of us. But mostly her. She’s just miserable. :(

But rather than go on and on about that, here is the random of life from the past week or two.

Oh, come on…you know you love the way my brain jumps from subject to subject with almost no warning. 😉

This is Mae’s current favorite.

I have to admit that it is, by far, my favorite Veggie Tale so far. There are a few that rank up there, but I love the message. And who cares if it’s Christmas-themed? She can watch it all year for all I care…and I’ll be right by her side, glued to it every time. :) If you stream Netflix, it’s available. Just fyi…it’s so good.

As my husband put it, I turned into a crocheting machine. Six hats so far. I’m planning to put a few on my Etsy store to see if they sell. And I reasoned that I needed to “practice” making a few before I sell them. They’re cute…like, super. And a few of you will probably be getting a free hat with a flower because I don’t need six. 😉 (If you have any color preferences, you should get in your request now while I’m still in practice mode. ;))

This was my first try. I’m keeping it for two reasons. There are a few mistakes. 😉 And, I like it.

This one is for sale. (I think.) Any takers? 😉

Mae asked for a hat. She even picked out the colors…I think it turned out really cute. :)

And, even though she’s not feeling very well, she looks adorable in it!

My mom recently took up pottery. She’s dabbled in a few artistic arenas in her life, so it wasn’t a total shock. (But, dude, she has a potter’s wheel in the basement. And is getting a kiln…) So when I was in Iowa last week, I got to see a few of her pieces. Out of all of them, I fell in love with this one…which I stole borrowed forever to use as a coffee mug, but it could probably be a few different things. Even though she insisted it didn’t look very good, I like the uniqueness of it. (And by the way, yes, I am wearing fingerless gloves in this photo. In the house. I am COLD. And WHO thought that fingerless gloves had any purpose at all? Someone made a lot of money off of the fact that people’s fingers are going to freeze. But they are cute, aren’t they? ;))

I got to see these two amazing girls last week. Ok, so I know we’re women, but when you grow up with two people, it’s just hard to call each other women. Even though we are. :) I think there is a photo of the three of us together somewhere, but I don’t have it…so you get these two pics instead. I’m so blessed and thankful to have them in my life…we’re the kind of friends who pick up exactly where we left off before. The kind that can dress alike and go out in public, even though we’re in our 30’s. The kind that, for our night out, go to Walmart and walk around and come back to the house to eat candy corn and peanuts and gab about life until 2 a.m..and it’s the best night ever. Love them.

My girl is funny. Here she is, trying to throw leaves into my coffee. And, true to form, me being overly dramatic to stop them from landing in the mug. I smile, though. :)

Supposing that’s probably about enough random for the day…though there might be more tomorrow. Hoping Mae is on the mend. Would appreciate prayer. :)

Love you all. Thanks for stopping by…even if it’s just for the random. G’nite! :)

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, coffee, family, friends, just life, Maelie, random, where I am

Sometimes We Just Chat…

October 8, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I like a good chat. Especially when there’s coffee involved. :)

Sadly, I drank too much coffee this morning and really shouldn’t have more tonight. Plus, it’s been awhile since I’ve had it at night…it would probably keep me up.

Nothing too exciting to chit chat over, really.

It was a Monday minus the workout. Which means Tuesday will start with a morning run, but that’s ok. I kinda like running when the morning temp is in the 30’s and I have to wear a hat. I haven’t run for a week and have missed it a lot…it’ll be good to get back to routine. I have a race in a month, and it would be nice to post a PR. Highly unlikely, though, since it’s such a crowded race. Hopefully I at least won’t get beat by people dressed like Hershey’s Kisses…not like that’s ever happened or anything. 😉

Mae and I had a low-key day, and that’s ok…we needed it, I think. We both slept in, so it was a later start to our day. She was such a sweetie, though…we played Strawberry Shortcake dolls and watched the Veggie Tale episode that is her current obsession, and she “cooked” for me in her kitchen. Watching her personality develop is so amazing, and with her in particular, entertaining. She makes me smile so much. :)

I also love how compassionate her heart is.

On Saturday I went to a nursing home to sing with a couple friends, and I took Mae with me. She spent over an hour talking to the residents, shaking their hands, handing out necklaces. It was so much fun to see. She truly cares about people, and my heart literally melted just watching her. Even though I’ve only been a mommy for a little over two years, I’ve definitely had those thoughts of what qualities I’d like to see in my daughter and, possibly, future children. I think compassion is at the top of the list…I can think of no greater character trait for someone to possess than something that completely defined our Savior. What a blessing she is. And not just to me. :)

Hope you all had a happy Monday…g’nite!

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, just life, Maelie, random, running, where I am

Confession Time

October 7, 2012 by · 2 Comments

They say it’s good for the soul, right?

In my case, my confessions are probably just more good for entertainment than anything. :)

I totally opened a box of Maelie’s fruit snacks. There was already another box opened, but I wanted a different flavor. As a bonus? This citrus lovin’ girl got a packet of 7 orange, 2 lemon, and just 1 grape! (I know. I’m a dork. For multiple reasons, but mostly because I count my fruit snacks. ;))

Hang on, because I could potentially get dorkier as this post goes on…

I crocheted a hat. Last week my awesome friend, Becky, taught me to do a double stitch, and the rest is history. I was hooked. BAHAHAHAHA! 😀

Please tell me you at least cracked a smile?!?!

A big thank you goes out to youtube and the b-gillion tutorials they have for crocheting everything from a sweater to gloves to a sleeping bag. Ok, ok, I didn’t really find that on youtube. But I’m sure it is out there…somewhere.

Ok, so back to crocheting. I’ve literally been lusting over those uber-cute hats with flowers. Kinda like this one.

Are you ready for my big news?

I MADE ONE! And it’s super, super cute…like, I kind of can’t believe that Mel+a crochet hook+yarn made something that awesome. (But I can’t show you a picture yet ’cause I need to figure out how to attach the flower…come back tomorrow.)

Thinkin’ I love this crocheting thing. Yeah. :)

I’m really, really tired. It’s barely 10 p.m. and my eyelids are droopy. I crashed early last night, too…and realized I’ve kind of been go-go-going a lot in the last week. Thankful for a Monday and a chance to just hang out with my girl without having to be anywhere. Though I think some coffee is definitely on our morning agenda. Should you be in the area, hop over. As long as you don’t mind if my house is kind of a mess.

I wore sandals to church this morning. So I put them on when I was running around the house getting ready, mostly as a way to keep the bottom of my pants from getting all dog-hairy. Hey, it happens with two goldens in the house. 😉 Fully intended on putting real shoes on before I left…and fully forgot. It was in the 30’s/40’s. My toes were ice by then end of church. Lesson learned, I guess.

It is exactly 10:03 p.m. and I’m crashing.

I’ll be back tomorrow, though. Hope your weekend was a good one!

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random, uncategorized, where I am

Monday Observations

September 17, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Time for the random of a Monday.

Actually, it’s time for the random of my brain. It just happens to be Monday. 😉

Flip flop weather is almost over. This makes me very sad…very. I’m not sure what to do with my feet once it’s too cold for flip flops. Well, besides put socks on and pray that my combat boots make it through another winter. I’m gonna need to be on the lookout for another pair. Remember how I always have a backup pair of sunglasses? Combat boots are kinda in the same category.

Even though it’s almost time to wear actual shoes, I’m looking forward to fall. Hellooooooo, leaf-crunching while I run; sometimes I go out of my way to run through random piles of leaves :) Plus, I love sweaters and jeans and, ahem…combat boots. (See a theme going here?)

Over the weekend, we spent some time at Heritage Fest in West Dundee. I was impressed with what a big deal it was…and it was a lot of fun. Good music, good friends, good food. (See yesterday’s post. ;)) Maelie especially loved the parade and caught on quickly to the fact that she could run out into the street for candy almost faster than I could chase her. I think she gave me about a dozen almost-heart attacks, but we still had fun.

I came down with a cold on Saturday. My first in, like, a year, so I can’t complain too much. I can’t tell if it’s coming to an end already or if it’s still going to hit hard. Praying it’s almost over…I’m a grump when I’m sick.

I did yoga for an hour tonight. I can’t understand why people enjoy it. Is there something I’m missing? I just don’t like it. I think I’m just more of a run-like-mad, sweat-it-up, get-the-workout-over-with-already kind of girl. I am almost positive that I will hurt tomorrow, though…possibly even later tonight. So it had to have been good for me. Or something. :)

I went back at looked at my bucket list for 2012 over the weekend. Please don’t go look, too. I am waaaaaay behind. Way. Ugh. Funny how, at the beginning of the year, twelve months seemed like more than enough time to get things done…but it really wasn’t. (P.S. Can someone teach me how to thread my sewing machine???)

This has been, possibly, one of the more pointless posts I’ve ever written. At least you know where my brain is at…not a total loss, right? 😉

Happy almost-Tuesday. Hope your Monday was a good one. :)

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random, where I am

Thursday Thoughts

August 23, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Hmmmm…that’s such nifty alliteration.

Ahem.

Actually, no. I didn’t even think about it ’til it was already written. That could potentially make me even more cool.

It was my first normal Thursday…”normal” as in Bible study, lunch with friends, playtime for Mae, minus the guitar lesson today…but, still. It’s nice to be back to the only form of routine we know.

I still really love Thursdays. :)

I’m not throwing coffee into the mix tonight, though. I’ve been extra tired since last week and figured I don’t need to add anything that may potentially keep me up. Right now, Sleep. Is. Good. :)

Today was a day of unexpected blessings. Seeing a dear friend at Bible study…and being able to connect with her a bit. I’d missed her. A get-together tonight with some friends, which I decided to attend almost-last-minute. It ended up being really, really good…nice to chat with people I don’t always see. Some time to catch up with a dear friend…she always makes me smile.

There was also time to process this afternoon. I really use that word too much…no worries, I’m completely aware of it! :)

I’m getting restless, and I know it. I love my daughter so much. The days we spend together are wonderful, even the tough ones, and I wouldn’t trade being home with her for anything.

But I need an outlet.

I was hoping it would be my book. You know, that thing I’d planned to have finished several months ago? Yeah, that one.

Unfortunately, I can’t always just pull words out of nowhere.

I can’t fix my laptop (the one that seems to have gone permanently ka-put) so I can actually write from the couch or in bed…I only get so much done sitting in a chair at a computer desk.

Maybe the one thing I can do is try to get a little boost of confidence from somewhere. A writer’s group, maybe? A friend passed on some info today about one. I think it’s time. I need to decide if I’m going somewhere with this or not.

It seems like everyone out there thinks they can write a book. I know that was a pretty general statement…it’s just that I so badly want it to be me. The one who actually finishes what she started and maybe even sells it.

It seems like such a far-off dream.

I’ve always been ok with being a dreamer, but I’m also realizing more and more that I need to decide.

I hate the unfinished.

For now, while I wait for the words to return, I’ll putter around here. Sometimes deep, sometimes not.

But always…always…I’ll be me.

This place is still my heart. And I hope you’ll still stop by.

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, friends, just life, random, where I am, writing

For Those Nights When You Just Want Oreos and Peanut Butter

August 19, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

There’s something I probably haven’t told you yet.

Yeah, I haven’t shared everything yet, apparently!

I loooooooooove Oreos with peanut butter. My preferred method is to actually dip the Oreo into the peanut butter jar and use it as a scoop. But when you live in a house with other people who also eat peanut butter from the same jar it’s more polite to scoop the peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon first. 😉

Not like it matters too much…I mean, it mostly tastes the same no matter what. Though, here’s a little family secret…Tobin and I have “his” and “hers” peanut butter. True. He likes crunchy, I like creamy.

Peanut butter should NOT crunch. But that’s a topic for another day. 😉

When I was in the hospital last week…ironically, while I was feeling insanely nauseated, also…there was a commercial for these. And even in my state of near-throwing-up, I. Wanted. Them. So. Badly.

At the time, I may or may not have been convinced that my body could defy the laws of nausea if those Oreos had been in the room at the time…but, alas. I guess we’ll never know.

On the afternoon I came home from the hospital, my hubby came home with a package of them. (Along with another sweet get-well-soon present that I may tell you about later.)

Though my digestive track and stomach, in general, were still not doing that great, I let myself have one. (Or possibly more than one…) 😉

Oh, my…SO yummy. (They also have coconut and mint flavors, which I’m sure will be equally amazing…I have to admit that the coconut sounds incredible.)

I was resting this morning and missing church :( and trying to keep my mind off of things when I realized that, in my love of all-things-Oreos-and-peanut-butter, I had not considered the fact that THESE would be awesome dipped into that peanut butter jar, too. (Well, as long as we don’t count calories…)

😉

Seriously, doesn’t that sound amazing?!?!

And, gosh, I’m reiterating my dorkiness…dedicating a whole blog post to Oreos. Sorry.

But I told myself that I needed to blog before I could try one that way. However, I’m going to have to end this little story on a temporarily sad note. It’s been a rough day, and I’m not feeling well. I know better than to eat one today…so it will have to wait, which is kind of a bummer. (But at the same time, I’m marveling at my willpower.) :)

But should you happen to have some Oreo Fudge Cremes and a jar of peanut butter in your house, you’re welcome to try it out for me.

Hopefully Monday will bring more energy, less pain, and some Oreos.

With peanut butter. :)

Sig

Filed Under: food, just life, random

Full of Words

August 6, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I am, actually.

But taking them and turning them into coherent, thought-provoking sentences?

Not as much.

I think I might be getting there, though.

In the meantime, tonight I’m letting Wordle do the blogging for me. 😉 It’s a cool site…you plug in whatever words you want, and they make a word cloud out of them…the bigger the word, the more often I used it. It’s actually slightly comical to look at some of the words that I obviously overuse. :) (Oh, and if you click on it, you can see a bigger image.)

And, to make this one, I entered my last 75 blog entries. This is basically my summer in word-cloud form.

Kinda cool. :)

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random, writing

Just Writing

August 5, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Sometimes it’s good for me to go back and read the archives of my blog.

I did that recently.

It brought a lot of emotions…joy, amazement, gratitude…to name a few. Oh, and there was a teeny bit of embarrassment in there, too. ‘Cause there are always those days when I share too much. Oh, well. :)

But for the most part, it was good. :)

And I also came across a few blog prompts that I’d do again.

So tonight is going to be one of those nights…maybe tomorrow I’ll start heart-spilling. There’s a lot of that to be done in the next few days, I think.

But more on THAT…later.

Here’s the random of a Sunday. And of life.

Yesterday…Oh, how I love Saturdays. I woke up in a beautiful hotel because Tobin and I went away for a night to celebrate our 10th. It was nice. We watched some Olympics on one of the two big-screen TV’s in our room (crazy!) and then went out for coffee before going home and picking up Mae, who stayed with our sweet friends across the street. The rest of Saturday was just…the three of us. It was good. Normal. Well, as normal as we are. :)

Today…Not my favorite day, but I suppose those happen sometimes, huh? I just felt like I got hit from all angles…physically (bad headache), emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually. Sleep will be good. It always helps. :)

Tomorrow…A new day, for which I am very thankful. I’m hoping (if the headache is gone) to get up and run the 5k route for Saturday before Tobin goes to work. (I’m not actually running the race on Saturday…too busy with other 5k details, so I’m going to run it a couple times this week and try to break my goal of under 27 minutes. I’m c.l.o.s.e.)

Next week…I’m guessing is potentially the week my gall bladder will come out. (Or the week after…) I’m still processing how I feel about the whole thing. I think maybe I’m NOT processing it…just stuffing all of that deep down and hoping that it won’t hit me too hard. It’s just surgery, right?

Next month…My biggest goal for fall is to work my way up to 13.1 miles. I’m not planning an official half marathon this year, but I want to see if I can run the distance. It’s going to require some major discipline and a lot of early mornings. I can do it. At least I tell myself I can. :)

Next year…About this time, I hope to be training for the Chicago. I even have a training partner already…she’s running it this year, so it will be nice to have her expert advice. Hopefully my hip and knee decide to cooperate with my plan. :)

Somehow this turned into a post about running.

Life is full of other things, too…and it’s good. Looking for the JOY in each day and trusting that my Father is always good.

More tomorrow.

Love you all.

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, just life, random, where I am
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