May 1st and thus begins my annual self-imposed blogging challenge of :
Join in if you will, include your blog and post in the combox!
As for me…..it’s my birthday month! Woop woop! Double digits, baby. Double digits.
Apparently, my first birthday present is on its way (I have some very Type A friends…whom I love DEARLY).
Aaaaaaaaand our girls are headed for a Girl Scout Camping weekend this weekend, so with only 2 teenage boys in the house it’s like we’re practically empty-nesters. I see DATE NIGHT SQUARED in our future. Not a bad way to start off the month, eh?
I don’t want to set the bar too high for May blogging here on my first day in; it’s a marathon, not a sprint! Besides, I can’t use all my material for my Friday when I join in with Jen and her crew, in the meantime…..y’all be sure to check out her new BOOK!!! (It’s on my Kindle and as soon as I finish with the Antelope in the Living Room—-hilarious, BTW….I’m in #SOTG).
Killer Cake by Toojay’s. WOW!! There’s one located near someone’s office…someone I love dearly. What do you know? Have you every had this cake? Ugh. Not on ANY healthy diet. Ever.
It’s almost here: MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!!! The month where I torture myself to blog daily (weekends optional) and invite YOU to join me.
Generally there is no theme…just blog it up. Photo essay. Words. Many. Few. Whatever you’re feeling, bring it on. Sometimes it’s a little something profound-ish, sometimes it’s an essay, a story, a recap, maybe a link up. Whatever. No rules. Just write. (see what I did there? hee hee crack me up)
Why I always pick May is mainly my dear friend Lea’s fault…she started this long ago…next to December it’s the busiest month of the year what with school end projects and such and yet…..I do love a challenge, even a personal challenge, just to see if I can do it. Sometimes it just gives me something else to distract myself from the EVERYthing that is going in on May…birthdays, Mother’s Day, end of school. It also reminds me that the likelihood of my ever making a living from writing is slim to none (since you actually have to write well and often)…so this is all for fun and encouragement!
I love me a good challenge. I am a goal-oriented person. Run a marathon? Just tell me how much and when to run. Graduate with Bachelor’s degree 10 years later while working and raising up young’uns? Just tell me which classes I need and when. So on and so on. You get the picture. Give me a goal and watch me go; no goal and watch me flounder. This week, Jen Fulwiler (you know, blogger, former atheist, reality star, momma, home schooler and scorpion hater) has thrown down the gauntlet of blogging daily. One whole week. Monday to Sunday. I’m a sucker and picked up the gauntlet. I am not alone, merely one among many….so check us out and let’s see what the week holds!
Last night, I took my turn in bringing my son and his friends to Orlando to participate in Parkourat a cheer gym. I’ve managed to get out of this one hour drive (one way) for several months now. Since the event is for 3 hours I had to find something to do; enter Barnes and Noble. My caffe latte, cheesecake (oh YES I did), laptop and reading material enjoyed 2 hours of reading, writing and surfing the net. Bliss. I may drive again next weekend. (I kid, I kid) Therefore, with all that time to myself I was able to quickly brainstorm some posts for the week with pen and paper and ready myself for the week. Win-win!
That said, getting home and in bed around 1 a.m. (FAR past my bedtime) and up for 9 a.m. Mass necessitated a little nap this afternoon, next time I think we’ll hit the Saturday vigil Mass before we head over.
Before you head over to Jen for more focused thinking/writing/blogging enjoy this psycho Instavid from Parkour I shot. Of course, now that I know to HOLD THE BUTTON DOWN (unlike regular video shooting) my next one will be a little less manic! HA!
THIS week, Jen has flipped the order and the procrastinators (AKA, MOI) are at the TOP of the list…so Friday Saturday QTs it is….b/c I can’t seem to get it together in time for Friday….but y’all pray for her and her health and her upcoming birth of her bambino…..she really needs ’em!! Annnnnd, BTW…congrats to MoxieWife, Hallie on the birth of her tardy chubs, Charlie!!! Now onto the QTs….
— 1 —
This was week 6 of my Groupon for Impact Fitness and it was AWESOME!! So awesome in fact, I conned encouraged a friend to join (which scored me 1/2 off the NEXT 6 weeks). We are both doing the next challenge which promises a $2000 prize to the person with the highest % weight loss. I’M. IN. GAME. ON.
— 2 —
I’m also apparently in the lead for a word-of-mouth contest the gym had for referrals and maybe, just maaaaaaaybe if I win….Mama will be reading these blogs on her new iPad. The anticipation is KILLING ME!!!
— 3 —
And so, with the upcoming challenge and my aspirations on bringing home the multiple Benjamins I am planning my menu…except I’m not. I’m on the computer. Earlier this week I already sorta mapped it out. Now to put it to paper. And head to the grocery store. And cook. HOWEVER…my family is on board. Might have something to do with the dinner out I promised with my winnings…….
— 4 —
Switching gears….Hubs and I are almost done with this season of Downton Abbey. ONE. MORE. EPISODE. I’m preparing for withdrawals. And bracing myself for a shocking last episode. Or so my friend has said, without spoiling it. GAH!!!
— 5 —
Hubs and I have a date night tonight. Gotta love Groupon…..Steak!!!!! And date night! Double W!!!!
— 6 —
On a camera/photography note….I need to send off my beloved Nikon for repair. Sad face. Any suggestions? So far, I’m planning on sending it to Nikon…they diagnose online and price it before you even send it.
— 7 —
For the final QT…I’m sharing this video of a hilarious “prank” by Jeff Gordon at a car dealership…real or no….flippin’ funny. My friend showed me at work and then I watched with the Hubs last night and laughed even harder. Happy Weekend!! I’m off to PLAN for my WIN!!
Well, 5 weeks and I made it through the Peak 313 Challenge. It was a good jump-start to getting a little more disciplined and NOT getting sidelined by life with healthier eating and exercise habits. For me, it’s more on the eating side, the exercise thing–I got it. I just enjoy food. I enjoy making it, serving it and fellowshipping with and around it. I just need to make friends with it. As my friend commented to me during this challenge, “I am eating for fuel…not just eating”. True.
So, to report…the scale didn’t really budge much, which is disappointing and truth be told, can quite easily depress me into a return to emotional eating. However…..my clothes are fitting looser and I have more energy, so I am motivated and encouraged to continue on with my journey…and if I’m making good choices and treating this body as the temple that it is and nothing changes on the scale then I’ll work on making peace with that, too.
And that’s OK.
Blessings!!
1Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
making the trek 