Whats Up Wednesday

Here I am, back again... with great intentions of regular blogging.

What I'm Eating: Currently, at this very moment, I'm not eating anything.. but as of late, I have really just been into whatever is easy..lots of eggs & taco salads to be honest haha!

What I'm Reminiscing About: Hmm... this is a hard one, since I've started this workout program, I'm thinking back to the days when being thin wasn't hard, it was just there.

What I'm Loving: I am loving this weather, its not been hotter than 85 degrees here in Arkansas, super cool in the mornings, the wind is blowing slightly all day- it's so nice-- I am just waiting for the leaves to change colors!

What I've been up to: Like I said earlier, I have began a workout class here in our town, 5am during the week, at first it was super hard--getting up early, being so sore I could hardly do anything...but its definitely much better now, I am on round 2--getting up at 4:30am is really no big deal (especially for this girl whos in bed by 9pm at the latest!...don't judge)

What I've been dreading: Nothing that I can think of really. Paying personal property taxes, that's a good one right?

What I'm excited about: All the fall festivals that are coming up; pony rides, food, pumpkin patches.. fun stuff, especially for Avery! There is an old house a church here in town owns, and around October they always sell pumpkins-- we went last year, and every time we pass this old house Avery always says "that's the pumpkin store"

What I'm working on: I have been in the mood to start actually decorating my house, so I'm working on that slowly, getting ideas and such. I have a theme in mind, but I'm just not a "decorator"-- I wish I knew someone that needed a house to work on, ya know like a sample job haha! Just come decorate mine and you can photograph everything for your portfolio or whatever.

What I'm reading: I am currently reading "the power of a praying wife", our ladies class at church is about to begin the study on this book, so I've been reading through it again.

It's Time to Move On

A new door has opened, and I'm walking through the threshold. (I would like to be running or knocking the threshold down- but for right now, I'll just take my time and be patient). A job opening has come up at work- and I have decided to take it. This particular situation has come up before and the timing was not right for me, so I did not pursue it. However, everything has fallen into place & I know its the right time. Before, Avery's childcare situation would not have worked and it would be a struggle--but she has finally got in to the preschool here in town and then about two weeks into that I was offered this position, and I knew it was God's way of saying--here's your path, take the step! I am excited and nervous. It will definitely be stressful learning something new, but at the same time is going to relieve so much stress that I currently have.

I know the transition will be just that, a transition. But for my own state of mind, my own happiness, and for the sake of those that are around me- this is going to help, I just know it! I will be sad to leave those whom I work with everyday- but I will still be working for the City- just in a different capacity, and in a different building!! Whoohoo!! It's a brand new building- that's exciting to me. haha!

I'm learning slowly not to be afraid of change- yes, it can be bad and frightening, but I know it can also be GOOD! So don't be passive and just stay put because that's what everyone else wants you to do... Go for what YOU want- what's best for you and your family. Every "work" position is replaceable, don't forget that. People will say "you can't leave- no one can do what you do everyday".... there is always someone, somewhere that can do your job, that has done your job, and will do your job in the future- so don't stay because of guilt- b/c the guilt will eventually eat you alive. That's for sure!

Wish me luck- I'm counting down the days!

My Current Relationship

I've decided to do a little writing challenge, and the first topic is "your current relationship". If you don't already know I'm married. David and I have been together since 2005 and got married in September of 2009. 

When I first met David, his age initially scared me, he is 8 years older than me.. But that finally wore off. Age is truly only a number. But when your 19 and he's 27 it seems a little out of reach but truly it just depends on the two individuals in the relationship. 

We were married 4 years before we had a little one come in the picture, and I think it's smart to spend some time before jumping in to the parenting boat (but honestly, to each it's own- I'm not judging either way!) When I first thought about marriage and kids I wanted to be married and be done having kids by the time I was 24!  So looking back that thought process was just silly!  Just take your time and do what works!! 

David is a great guy- I love that he is a guy's guy- he's tough, works hard, can fix stuff, doesn't mind to get outside and get dirty... He loves to take his shirt off and wash his truck or mow the yard, and I love to watch him, haha-- for real tho! 

Don't get me wrong, our marriage has not all been kisses and butterflies- it can get rough, just like anyone else's. But, I'm so glad that we've stuck together and figured out the hard stuff. David is my best friend and some days I still think, it's so weird that we are married--even though we've been married for almost 7 years now- some days its just so surreal. I love being married, even through all the hard seasons, I love coming home to my husband, I love cooking and taking care of the house (even when I feel like "I don't want to clean this house one more time")being a wife and a mom. Some days I don't always remember that- but I'm working on it. Anyhow, my current relationship is that I'm taken, and I'm grateful for that!

Reading makes me feel smart! ha!

I love to read-- I have books upon books stacked in my closet, which I never re-read, so I've been trying my best to pass them along to others, to spread the enjoyment right?
Anyhow, some years I get really into reading and will easily read 5 or 6 books- other times, just one or two, it honestly just depends on my mood and how good the book is! A few months back I read a review on Sophie Hudson and it seemed like she was my kinda author! I posted a while back about "A little salty to cut the sweet", which was SO good, I literally laughed until I cried, and finished the entire book in just a few short days, its that good ya'll!!
So, I couldn't wait until I could get my hands on the next book, "Home Is Where My People Are". So I visited the ole trusty Amazon and found a used book for only $1.90!!! Score!! And let me say, I am super picky about my books, I like them in pristine condition, no bending of the pages and that sort of thing- and I knew a used book would definitely have some wear, but it was actually in pretty good shape! And for $1.90 I mean COME ON!!

I laughed, I cried, I learned a lot about Jesus- this is just an all around GREAT book. It only took me a few days to read it, its good, for real! So if your looking for a good, clean author, Sophie Hudson is a fabulous one for sure!

Monday Mornings

Monday's... Ya gotta love them right?  Not so much. I try to just think of it as another day- so I get over it quicker.   Usually Sunday nights I make sure all our laundry is ready for the week-- get all of Avery's snacks packed up and juice ready.     

The more I get ready the easier my morning goes-- and trust me, I need all I can get! 

I've had the discussion with my husband that it's best if we don't have any "real" conversations in the morning b/c I tend to take things the wrong way and get upset. Maybe I should start drinking coffee, wonder if that would make me start each day with a better attitude lol. 

Some days Avery is a bear in the mornings (like her momma) but some days she's happy and ready to get going. 

A little hopscotch to start the day- I should've went out and did it too!! Haha! 

To have the energy of a 2 year old- I long for it once in a while, but good grief I don't think I could keep up for too long. But, Avery still gets a nap every day- I could certainly handle that!! 

Tuesday will be here soon and we will start all over again. Happy Monday!! 

Four Things

This post is random, but I enjoy that sort of thing! This will just let you know a little bit of information about myself, whether you care or not is up to you! ha!

4 Names that I am called on a regular basis
Kristin
Momma
Momma Bear
Missy


4 Jobs I've Had
Walmart
Farmers Bank
City of Greenwood
--I've only had 3 real jobs--

4 Places I've Lived
Arkansas-- the only place I've lived

4 Places I've Visited
Texas
Georgia
Alabama
Florida

4 Favorite Foods/Places to Eat
Panera Bread- Steak & Cheddar Panini or Caesar Salad
Chik-fil-a, anything from there really!
Cheeseburgers--I love Braums, its simple and delicious
Lasagna!

4 Things I'd Rather Not Eat/Drink
Chocolate- or sweets..don't like them, don't eat them
Broccoli- I will eat it in small quantities, but I don't enjoy it
Turkey Bacon- the real stuff is much better!
Milk- tastes like dirty creamy water to me, I will use it in my cereal, but I do NOT drink milk from a glass..yuck!

4 TV Shows I Watch
The Pioneer Woman
Cook's Country/America's Test Kitchen
Fixer Upper
Teen Mom (gotta throw a little drama in there)

4 Authors I'd Recommend
Sophie Hudson
Cecilia Ahern
Andrea Israel
Cookbooks- variety of authors, I LOVE to read cookbooks, for real!

4 Things I'm Looking forward to this year
Making new memories with David & Avery
My sister is having her 2nd baby
Making a stand for myself (this is a constant struggle that I am working on)
Doing a major overall on my house (decorate, purge, clean, etc.)

Roller Coaster

I often wonder how I got to this point in my life. It's like a roller coaster ride- I'm hollering at the top of my lungs, because I'm beyond ready to get off this ride. I'm not sure anymore what enticed me to jump in the seat. Have you ever felt that way? Some days, I feel like for whatever reason, I just stay in the seat and never get out, or the handle bars are stuck- just ride it over and over again, like a thrill junkie.

I continue to hold on, and just get down on my hands and knees and pray for guidance, protection, healing. I am in constant, non stop prayer I feel like--even though I may not say "amen" at the end, its just an open on-going conservation with God- I'm not sure when it will be finished, but God knows.

I just have to press on, trust and know that HE has got this, HE always does and always will. I am going to make it. No matter the outcome, the circumstances, the hurt that may follow- I will make it.

My Favorite 2 Year Old

My Two year old is very funny, clever, smart, mischievous, silly & many other adjectives!! I thought I would do a little post about her in this stage of her life. Being two sometimes is very difficult, but its also very fun.
1. Avery's favorite food is still spaghetti. She could most definitely eat it every single night over and over again. When I ask what she would like for dinner, its always "sketti"! Here's a pick from 2014 Christmas and she still loves it just as much now and she did then!

2. Avery's favorite drink is those Dole Pineapple/Orange Juices that come in a can--we recently just started buying those and of course she loves them, I think mostly because the cans are just her size- her and daddy fight over those b/c they both like them so much! She calls them "those can things".

3. Instead of saying "Chips"--she has always said "Pips". And "cupcakes" are "tuptakes". I can't even begin to type out how she says "twizzlers"...its in such a way that only her own momma could understand!

4. She loves to tell us that we are either the #1 or #2 Boss--it changes frequently, and most certainly depends on who's around. I think most of the time Momma is #1 Boss and Daddy is #2, but she loves to play that game with us! We have tried to stray away from her saying who she loves the most or who's the best parent, and so the #1 and #2 Boss thing I think is a safe "game" to play so to speak.

5.She is currently in a "Charlie Brown phase". She loves it! I will ask her, do you want to watch Charlie Brown? And her response every time is, "I call it Lucy, you call it Charlie Brown"-- and let me tell you Lucy is really "wooosey" lol. She watches it over and over! Her favorite is the "punkin one", she really means The Great Pumpkin Patch..ha! The only bad thing is she says "stupid beagle", just like Lucy-- gotta get her to quit that!

6. We all call each other Daddy Bear, Momma Bear, Baby Bear & even the dog has his own name... bossy bear! lol She loves that dog, even when he doesn't love her back. The other morning we were discussing how the dog had gotten sick and I said he may need to go to the vet--Avery was super concerned and needed to pet him at that very moment! She just kept repeating "I need to pet him", like she had never loved on him before. I told David, that's going to be a hard time when his dog years come to an end. He has been there before she was born and always been a great protector over her and most certainly has taken all her love even when he doesn't want to!

7. She loves to have Group Hugs--if David is hugging me and she's in the room, she will announce "group hug" and come running over. Its all very sweet until they get crazy and start licking my face..yuck!! Her daddy taught her that- argh!

8. And of course she loves a good selfie!

Mondays...

Mondays are never the best day of the week--for most people. I always try and think in my mind, that if I would just get a few things ready on Sunday evening, I would be better prepared and be a lot less stressed when the morning rolls around. So this past Sunday evening, I got Avery's lunch and snacks all packed up & I even laid out her clothes for the next morning. Just doing those small things made my Monday morning just a little bit better.
And then you get to work, and its super busy and stressful-but guess what? I made it through, and now its Tuesday! Hip Hip Hooray!!

My church is putting on a Women's bible study & I have decided to join. I am excited and nervous, but I know I need to get out there and get involved and that will help me in more ways than one! We are doing the study "Anointed, Transformed & Redeemed" by Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore & Kay Arthur. I have previously done the Esther study by Beth Moore and I really enjoyed it!

In "avery" news.. she is such a character, I tell you what.. She comes up with new stuff all the time. We are just past Christmas and she cannot understand where the Christmas lights have gone and why people took them down- she loves them! Also, my mom got her a babydoll playpen-which she loves to let her babies nap in, however one day I went in her room to check on her and didn't see her- what do you know, she had climbed in the playpen herself and was having a good ole time- she now does this daily. Silly kid.

Recipes are coming in my next post!! I am working on perfecting my lasagna recipe! It is gonna be great!!