9.30.2011

.Little Things Bring Smiles Part 11.


The name of my blog is

Little Things Bring Smiles.

I chose this title because it is important to remember the little things in life and to rejoice in them. My reason for blogging is to share my life, all parts of it {including the good, the bad, and the ugly} along with the crafts and DIY projects I complete. Each month I want to focus on the little things that brought smiles to my days. I would love for you to share your little things and see if they bring a smile to me, or another reader :)

 Here are my little things from September:

- Making my first yarn wreath
- Driving 3 hrs to and from Ikea on a Saturday with the hubs
- New purchases, thanks to Ikea
- Falling leaves
- Arranging a "Guys Night"
- Starbucks dates with Adam
- Dinners at home
- Seeing an old lady walking home with groceries decked out in jeans, flannel shirt, puffy vest, and cowboy boots (I hope to be as cool as her at that age!)
- Gas prices dropping to $3.19
- Having 'Breaking Bad' marathon nights with Adam, thanks to Netflix
- Watching an 8 week old baby every day
- Snuggling with the baby
- Feeding her
- Making her smile, so precious!
- Grocery shopping "dates'
- Having friends over to sit and chat around the fire
- New camera lens
- Celebrating my niece's first birthday
- Visiting with family
- "Torturing" our pup by bathing him with the hose on the deck (just hilarious, Shiba Inus do not like being wet)
- Listening to old songs Adam and I grew up with thanks to Spotify

And two BIG things:
- Reaching 500 followers (what? how did this happen?)
- Remodeling our home!


Now it's your turn, what are your little things?

Always remember,
Little Things Bring Smiles!

9.29.2011

.Tired.

Hello friends,

I really tried to write a post this afternoon, I did. I thought about it and planned a fantastic one about a killer house project we have going on but--it's all in my head, not typed here. 

I'm tired. 

And a bit sick, lovely sinus infection and strange allergies. I am ridiculously happy though and had an amazing (and extremely busy) week.

I'll tell you about it soon, just not today.

I'm tired. 

I started watching the new baby (2 months old) this week as well as the two toddlers (3 and 4) and I will simply say..Parents, take a bow. I am applauding you.

Yeah..I'm tired. 

Happy happy weekend!

Katie

9.23.2011

.This, That, and a Winner.

Happy Fall

Today is the first day of my favorite season. 

Virginia has been blessed with rain and crisp Fall air this week.

It has been lovely.

I've started to notice a few little surprises in my yard, 

like this:
 and that:
Fall is truly a season of beauty.

Today is not only the first day of the season, but the day I announce the giveaway winner!

Friends, I am blown away. 

120 of you left comments to win the Pumpkin Spice Yarn Wreath

This is the most comments any of my posts have ever received,

I guess you kinda liked it huh?

The winner is:
Comment #45: Jill

Her little thing was, "Good music to workout to!"

Congratulations Jill

and thank you to everyone who entered!

9.22.2011

.Giveaway Reminder.

Happy Thursday

I hope this week you have been relaxing in the cool F a l l weather. I know it has put me at ease this week and I have enjoyed one 'too' many afternoon naps. 

This is just a quick post reminding you about the Pumpkin Spice Yarn Wreath Giveaway (wow, that was a mouth full) going on here. The winner will be announced Friday afternoon using random.org. 
Thank you again for all of your comments and entries, Adam and I have truly enjoyed reading your little things from the past week. Your words have really opened our eyes to how good life can be when we all stop and remember the little things

9.21.2011

.Cysts and Migraines.

After reading the title, there are two reactions:

1. I suffer from migraines too, I understand your pain.
2. Oh, my grandmother, friend from school, brother, co-worker, lady from church (etc) suffers from migraines, I know it's extremely hard on them.

Migraines seem to be in every family, in every group of friends, in every office, in every school, in every church--Why? Why are there so many of us suffering? Why are certain bodies more susceptible to migraines than others?

I remember having headaches all the way back to elementary school. As the years progressed and my body changed, those headaches became stronger, more frequent, and more painful. By the time I was in high school, my head hated my body and my body hated my head. The two parts were never on the same team and it caused for one exhausted and frustrated teenager. My mother and I quickly realized the correlation between my menstrual cycle and migraines. I remember skipping parties, get togethers, movie nights, sleepovers, field hockey practices, basketball games, and even school days because of the intense pain I would experience in my head as well as cramping. The hardest part of missing these things was having my friends, coaches, and teachers actually believe me. For those who do not suffer from migraines it is hard to understand the pain, especially if they have never been around someone close who has them. My friends would give me a hard time about not wanting to go out with them and I often felt they thought I was faking just to stay home. This was not the case! While they were out having fun, I was in my dark quiet room laying in bed with an icepack on my head, definitely not my definition of fun! I so badly wanted to be out with my friends but I suffered from migraines.

During my teenage years, my parents brought me to doctor after doctor searching for a reason behind the migraines. It baffled us all--I was young, in good health, an athlete, and did not smoke or drink--why was my body failing me? My family and I had enough of hearing the word "tumor" tossed around by numerous doctor so we arranged for me to have my first CT Scan and MRI. Talk about a scary experience--as a 17 year old I had to strip, put on a gown, be escorted to room after room, lay on pad, be injected with dye, be inserted in a large noisy machine, told not to move a muscle or else they will have to start the process all over again, and left alone in the room while everyone else peered at me through windows. Verdict: Not fun and no tumors! Phew. We were thrilled by this news however we still left with no answers, no cause for the migraines.

Fast forward to my four years at college. My body went through major changes regarding emotions, diet, hormones, and migraines. I was in a new state, eating new (not so healthy) cafeteria food, drinking different water, and had no regular sleep schedule. This all resulted in many headaches and debilitating migraines. Liberty University had a strict attendance policy and required it's students to attend classes. Most professors allowed 2 unexcused absences and 2 excused and that was it. If you missed any more classes, you would fail. (Family emergencies, funerals, etc. were of course excused!) I remember going to so many classes looking and feeling like h*** because I could not skip. There were some profs who understood migraines and were lenient but the majority required you to attend class unless you were dying--literally! Though I felt I was dying physically, I had to drag myself to class and remember praying during the entire lecture for a bit of relief..for sleep..for even a "normal" headache. For those of you who have migraines, I know you understand how uplifting it is when your migraine turns into a normal headache, it's still pain but you can actually live life.

Ringing in my ears began during my time at Liberty. On winter breaks when I was back home, I would visit doctor after doctor searching for my answers. (Sounds familiar right?) I am known to faint and experience vertigo and felt this was all connected with the ringing ears and migraines. I went to specialists and had tests done, blood taken, and still left with no clear answers. Meniere's disease was brought up a few times and I recall having hearing tests and finding out my hearing in my left ear cannot hear certain low pitches which corresponds with the disease. There were further tests I needed to have completed but school started up again and then there was the financial aspect. My parents were so generous, took care of everything, and never hesitated to pay, but I knew the co-pays and "extra" work that insurance did not cover was adding up. It was never found if I had Meniere's disease because I chose not to have more testing done..I was simply sick of it all!

After college I married my best friend. With marriage came sex and began an entirely new slew of issues for this girl. Adam and I saved ourselves for our spouse and it is one of the best decisions we have made and are thankful God allowed us to do this. Without going into too much detail about this personal topic, I will simply say God did not create man from dust and woman from man's rib to join as one in sexual intimacy for it to be painful.  In the beginning months of our marriage it was. I knew something was wrong. During my period, I would be crippled in my bed with a heating pad and advil and under more pain and pressure I remember dealing with in the past. Something had to done. New doctors were now a part of my life and I went through more testing and numerous ultrasounds. This time was different, this time we found answers!--Cysts. My body continually produces cysts, some inside of my ovaries, others just "floating" behind or next to my uterus. Finding out about these cysts opened my eyes to all of those years spent in bed with cramps and extreme pressure on my sides and lower back--it was all coming together and connecting. I went on different types of birth control pills to prevent my body from forming these cysts but nothing seemed to work.  I stopped taking the birth control pills and though I was still in pain, I was happy to be "me" again and not the crazy, depressed, emotional person I became on the pill..the hubs was happy too :) Thankfully, the cysts that formed always burst on their own which was (extremely-drop to the floor) painful but a blessing at the same time because I never had to have any surgeries or procedures.

I have been married now for a little over two years and the cysts come and go, some more painful than others. I am learning my body and know when I have one or two present. I can feel them when I walk, when I laugh, cough, sneeze, and when I have sex. It has become a familiar pain, one that I can identify, so I shrug it off as nothing most of the time. Again, without going into too much detail, I will say sex with my husband has been much improved ;) I know many women have similar issues and learn to live with them. Doctors do not really have an answer and even after a recent trip to the ER, I was told to take it easy and come back if the pain worsens. Really? After all of the people poking, feeling, and looking inside of me that is what I get to go home with? After paying the ER bills and the radiology bills, I go home with nothing? I was offered strong pain medicine but how was I to know if my pain worsened when I was numb?--I opted not to take any and to listen to my body. This ER trip was about 2 months ago and I have not been back to my doctor for a follow up. I plan on going in the next week or so to have another exam and ultrasound done.

As many of you know, I have been working on getting healthy emotionally, spiritually, and physically and have made good progress. I have been seeing a chiropractor since January and have had major improvement with my migraines. Instead of 2 or 3 per month, I am down to just 1 bad migraine that lasts about 3 days which is so encouraging! I highly recommend visiting a chiropractor if you suffer from migraines. For me, it has really cut down on the frequency of my attacks. I have been studying my body and found I have definite triggers for headaches. They include:

1. Strong perfume or cologne.
2. Fluorescent lighting.
3. Temperature, if my body feels flush or overheated.

I have also noticed if I am in close quarters, do not feel like I am getting enough air, or do not have a glass of water easily accessible I get anxious..this leads to dizziness..this leads to fainting or a migraine.  Lately I have been keeping a close watch on the foods I have been eating. I've started to make mental notes about what I eat and how I feel. This has led me to food allergies and the possible connection between wheat, gluten, and migraines. Nicolette, from Momnivore's Dilemma, opened my eyes to this connection. She has written fabulous posts about her choices to go gluten-free and how her life, as well as her son's life, have improved greatly. After emailing with Nicolette back and forth, I am ready to be tested! Adam is taking me to the hospital tomorrow morning to have blood drawn. We will then be packaging and shipping it to a lab in FL where they will be testing it with 100 different foods.

Friends, I am so excited!

My fingers are crossed they find something--some reaction to a food/food group/protein/whatever I have been consuming my entire life. I am feeling so grateful for our blogging community that is has led me to something new, something that could possibly change my life! I will keep everyone updated when I have the results in 1 to 2 weeks. I am also going to have an eye exam next week since my last one was during my sophomore year of high school, whoops! I really do not like the way I look in glasses but I have come to the point of not caring if it will help my body. I need to help my body!

Please say a prayer for me and my crazy, issue-filled body. I am ready to say goodbye to my migraines and cysts for good! I do apologize if this was too much information and too personal for you. My mindset is to use this blog to help others and to help myself. I have learned so much by reading peoples' stories and have found being open and honest brings people together. Now, I want to hear from you..please share as little or as much as you'd like with me.


Do you know someone who suffers from migraines? Is it you? 
Have you dealt with ovarian cysts? What helped you?
Do you have any food allergies? How did you find out?
Are you living gluten-free? How has it improved your life?

Here's to answers! 

9.20.2011

.Weekending.

This weekend was lovely..

Cool weather.
Open windows.
Road trip with the hubs.
New Weepies album.
Family visit.
Niece's first birthday.

My sister-in-law Kim, from Little Rays of Sunshine, worked long and hard preparing for her baby girl's first birthday party and I am happy to report it was a total success. My niece Emma made everyone smile and was loved on by all.

Birthday Girl Emma Grace

Proud parents
My awesome folks!
Emma with her cake, she was a little unsure in the beginning :)
For more pictures and details, check out Kim's blog!

Adam and I feel extremely blessed and love our "jobs" as Auntie and Uncle :)
Thanks for reading, I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

9.16.2011

.Fall GIVEAWAY+Details.

Yesterday I introduced you to Pumpkin Spice, my very first yarn wreath

I spotted a yarn wreath for the first time last year and instantly fell in love with the concept. I did not make one last season and was thrilled to see this Fall, yarn wreaths are still going strong.

I had to join the club :)


 I purchased a 12" foam wreath, 1 bundle of pumpkin colored yarn, and 5 sheets of cream colored felt from Michaels to create this little beauty. The branches were left over from my wedding crafts and I used my trusty old glue gun to get the job done! I ended with plenty of yarn to spare, and though it would have looked nicer a bit thicker, I did not want to spend more time wrapping the wreath :) I popped on a movie, wrapped two layers around in about 30 minutes, and took a break to finish watching. The next day, I finished wrapping a third layer around the wreath after fixing a little problem briefly mentioned here.





When the wreath was fully wrapped, with the yarn pulled tightly and evenly throughout, I followed my own tutorial for making the felt flowers. I had a little fun experimenting with the felt resulting in larger, fuller flowers. (May show you a quick tip covering how soon!) I had three left over flowers I chose not to use because I thought they made the wreath look too bulky on the bottom. Another option I could have done was to spread the flowers out by placing some on the other side of the wreath. I completed all of my flowers in an hour and a half. This may seem long, but I am a perfectionist (not by choice) and like to take my time as I work. The photo above shows the outer edge of the wreath while the photo below displays the inner edge.

I wanted to keep the wreath simple because I strongly believe
simplicity = elegance.
The flowers were designed to be various heights and widths so I could bunch them close together without smushing one another. I paid close attention to my flower petals and used my fingers for extra "fluffing" to add more texture to the wreath. After my first experience making rosettes, I was upset with myself for not fixing up the flowers--and by this, I mean smoothing out the shape of the flowers. I think it is important to finish a job by putting in an additional 10%. This time I did and am so pleased with the result.
Being satisfied with a craft I complete is usually hard for me but this baby made it easy--I am loving it!

And that's not all--

I'm giving it away to one of YOU! 
I will use random.org to choose a winner Friday, September 23rd. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. I always welcome new followers to my blog so feel free to join if you enjoy reading Little Things Bring Smiles.


Here's how to enter:
Leave one comment on this post describing the little thing(s) in life that brought you smiles this week, that's it! 


*This giveaway is now closed*

9.15.2011

.First Yarn Wreath.

Introducing what I call Pumpkin Spice.
Details coming soon!

Happy Living--Happy Crafting
and remember
--Little Things Bring Smiles--

9.14.2011

.Guys Night.

I'd like to begin this post with letting you all know I am giving myself a big ol' pat on my back for being a super duper cool wife tonight.

I am currently sitting inside in my pj's while Adam and 7 of his buddies are out back around a camp fire snacking on the delicious treats and goodies set out by yours truly.

Adam needed a night with his "guys." The man works so hard and then deals with me every single day and night. While I'd like to think I am a blast to hang out with at all times, let's be real, I can be quite moody and this week was the week, you know which one..yep, my hubs needed a Katie break :) 

I wanted him to have it so I suggested a guys night. I knew he would be excited for it but the extent of his excitement was a bit more than I had anticipated..I guess he needs this more often eh'? 

The boys are being boys together..smoking cigars and pipes, chowing down brownies and other treats, and chatting about, well, boy stuff. I can hear their muffled laughter and it makes my heart feel good, so very good.

I finished paying the bills, reading up on a few blogs, and now it is time for me to finish another wreath--this one is for you! I did something a little different, I am in the process of making my first yarn wreath! It has taken a little longer than I had in mind because a certain toddler I watch got into the yarn during nap time and made one of the biggest knots ever, I'm actually impressed with the variety and amount of tangles. We are both to blame because I was in the back of the house in our bedroom and did not check on her for a while..and to think I thought she would be napping, ha! Ah well, I am still happy and loving the wreath..really loving it that I am tempted to keep it BUT I had you in mind so I must, must, must give it away :)

Stay tuned!

And wives..let's be cool more often and set up fun nights for our husbands that do not involve us, Lord knows they need it!

:Happy Wednesday Night:

9.13.2011

.Poop.

It's only Tuesday and this week stinks already--

literally S T I N K S.

I am choosing my words carefully as I type because the words in my head contain cuss words and rather strong opinions that will most likely hurt someone's feelings..so..here I go, hesitant as I type.

I just need to vent a little, is that alright with you?--

Oh it is, G R A N D! Here I go!

Poop. I hate it. My job as a nanny over the past 2 years has exposed me to more poop, poop that is not my own, than I ever imagined possible. As a parent, I understand this becomes a daily "duty" and you probably get used to the smells, textures, and colors (maybe?).. Welp, I am not a parent which means all of the poop I am discussing, the poop that is not my own, is also not my childrens' poop--it's someone else's kids' poop. Because of this simple fact, I am and think I will always be, grossed out by POOP..(even when the time comes for my own children--ugh to poop!)

I began my nanny job when the girls were 13 months and 2.5 years old. This meant everyone was in diapers and the food being consumed by the girls was very similar to your average adult which can only conclude one thing about their poop: It was massive--explosive adult-like POOP!

I quickly made a new best: soap. Oh, how I love hand soap and all of their sweet aromas.

Other peoples' poop was now a part of my everyday life. Living the dream?--(Hmm, now that's one to ponder.) Honestly, I have loved my job and have truly been captivated by the little ones I watch and thank the Lord daily for giving me this opportunity to learn and grow as a "parent in training." I feel extremely fortunate for this on going experience because it has taught me a lot about myself and what type of caregiver/mother I will become.

That said, let me still emphasize how much I despise poop. I have been along for the ride through Grace's potty training and it was bad--all I am going to say on that matter. Now Joy is 3 and seems to be following her big sister's path regarding putting poop in the potty. There is never a "whoops--I had a pee accident"--nope, it always goes a little something like this..

Me-"Girls, what is that smell?"
Grace- "Not me!"
Joy- "Maybe it was Colden." (my dog)
Me- "Joy, did you poop in your pants?"
Joy- "No, I did not. Grace did you?"
Grace- "No, look!" (as she pulls her pants down and "bares" all)
Me- "Joy, come with me to the bathroom please."

...

Every time she poops, she lies to me about it. I do my best at attempting to understand the thoughts of a 3 year old.."maybe she is embarrassed..maybe it really did slip out and even surprised her"..but then I think.."she knows she did it..i mean, she had to literally push it out and let's face it--it S T I N K S, everyone can smell it!" I pray daily for wisdom and guidance at how I speak to her, the tone of my voice, and the actions I take.

Today, I got angry..sad but true.

Angry that her teachers did not change her (trust me, the smell was like walking into a wall)--angry Joy did not speak up and tell her teachers she had to go potty and angry she did not tell them she went potty in her pants.  I realized she had pooped the second she stepped into my car from the car pool line. I realized she may have felt embarrassed around the other children so I drove my car around to the back corner of the parking lot and backed in so I could change her in the back without anyone seeing, even noticing us. Well--this poop accident was too much for me to handle. The poop spilled out of her pull up onto her thighs and back. I frantically used the baby wipes to prevent poop from getting on her dress and in my car (the one my husband just had cleaned) but failed miserably.

It was already on her dress and on the car mat.

The smell was enough to kill ya--I stuck my shirt over my nose and breathed through my mouth convincing myself this technique works. I felt like every time I wiped, I was only spreading the thick, play dough like, green poop on her little body more and more. It was awful. After a few minutes of gagging and wiping, her skin tone returned and the green was no more.

The drive home was nothing but a cruel mental game with myself. My hands were not washed (since we were in the parking lot) and even though I used hand sanitizer, my mind was visualizing the little green poop germs spreading from my hands..to my wrists..to my arms..it was terrible. The stench was trapped in my nose hairs and tortured my stomach the entire ride home.

I hate poop.

When we got home, I changed Joy's outfit, wiped her bottom/back/thighs with a warm rag and put a new, fresh pull up on her and tucked her into naptime.

And now, here I sit, still smelling the poop and still imagining it on my hands even after washing and scrubbing my skin dry.

My day was going really well and then--poop decided to ruin it all. Am I overreacting?--It may seem it to you, especially if you are a parent or teacher of pre-school, but poop simply S T I N K S and puts me in a sour mood. I try not to let it--but it always wins! I had to get out my thoughts and hopefully I did a good job and keeping in the things I needed to in my head.

If not, sorry guys, poop just S T I N K S ! ! !

9.11.2011

.Remembering.

10 years.

Has it really been 10 years?

I was fortunate and did not lose anyone during the 9/11 attacks of 2001.

Today, 
my head and heart..
my thoughts and prayers..
are with those who did.

These individuals have lived without their..

Father
Mother
Son
Daughter
Grandfather
Grandmother
Brother
Sister
Aunt
Uncle
Cousin
Best Friend

for 10 years.

...

10 birthdays.
10 Christmases.

...

 Loved ones have missed watching their children grow.

Missing the little things..

First words,
First steps,
First day of school,
First home-run,
First date,
First car,
First dance..

And the big things..

High School Graduation,
College Graduation,
First Job,
Wedding,
Grandchildren.

The lives of so many men and women were taken 10 years ago today.

 Each person at a different point in life.
..Each expecting they would see tomorrow..
..Each parent thinking they would tuck their child to bed that night..
..Each spouse waiting to hear the car door close in the driveway.

My heart is heavy thinking of the wives who waited to hear their husband walk through the front door

but never did.

For the parents who outlived their children..

For the young babies who would grow up only knowing the stories and pictures of their parent.

...

As I am sitting here attempting to write my thoughts, I remember where I was back in 2001. I was a freshman in high school and sitting in my morning art class joking with friends and flirting with an upperclassmen I had a crush on. An announcement on the loud speaker interrupted our conversation with news a plane just hit one of the Twin Towers. There were chuckles in my classroom and rolled eyes with comments like,"Wow--who was the smart one flying that plane?" We were young and completely shielded from the reality of what was actually happening in the city just 40 minutes away from us. Before anyone in the classroom could even wrap their head around what we heard, more announcements flooded the intercom..students burst out in tears..monitors turned on in every classroom..live broadcasts were now staring at the faces of students and teachers in Jefferson Township High School. We sat in silence as the second plane hit and the terror set in of knowing, "this was not an accident." The rest of the day is a pure blur but I do remember the chaos..the faces of my teachers, my friends, my classmates, and especially the students who knew their lives would never be the same..these students had parents, loved ones, who worked in the city..in the Twin Towers. When I finally made it home that day, my mother ran to me and hugged me and then did the same to my older brother. She wept in his arms and feared at that instant he would be taken away to war. I do not remember if we ate dinner that night, or what time my father made it home, all I remember, my family was together. 

We were lucky.

9.09.2011

.Good Things Are Coming.

In life, my husband smiles and says,

"Good things are coming."

Well friends, I am saying this to you! 
The past two weeks have been incredible regarding my blog thanks to you and your love for this.


I am not sure what makes this particular wreath so special..but I want to say 
thank you
for all of your features and sweet comments by making another rosette wreath and
giving it away!

Stay tuned for a Little Things Giveaway :)
Happy Weekend!

9.03.2011

.My Journey the Last Four Months.

I want to start this post by praising the Lord my God.
He has used my blog and the blogging community in ways I never expected.
He has shown me love by providing you, my loyal readers.
Your words of wisdom, love, advice, and encouragement have touched my heart.
You have given me a reason to write, to share my heart, and to create.

Thank you.

After writing a post about my weight, my relationship with boys, and my spiritual walk, my life has changed AGAIN!
As I typed the words to my story four months ago, my heart and stomach ached.
I still remembered the pain of what happened.
But now..
I am healed.
Writing my story down and actually reading it opened my eyes to how truly awesome our God is..how He saved me..how He healed me..how He sent me you, my blogging friends.
Your comments and emails flooded every emotion inside of me.
I was, and still am, in awe of how much you cared about me, someone who most of you have never met.

Now I am here, typing once again, feeling the butterflies in my stomach and the joy in my heart.
I have accomplished a goal..a big goal, one that you helped with.
I have lost weight as I mentioned here but it is so much more than that.
I am on the path of getting healthy.
Physically.
Emotionally.
and Spiritually.
This time around, losing the weight was easy because my head and my heart were with Jesus and my husband.
I wanted to lose weight for them not me..for them.
I was nervous my old eating tendencies would take over and my old weight loss pattern would start to show his ugly face.

It never happened.

In the beginning, there were feelings of guilt after eating a little dessert and my husband, my best friend, called me out on it the moment he saw what was happening.
Adam talked me through it and the Lord gave him the words to help me get over those feelings quickly and learn it was indeed okay to treat yourself.
My diet was changing before my eyes and my body was loving the fresh fruits and veggies it was receiving.
The more fruit I ate, the more my body craved them.
It was amazing.
Every morning I would enjoy a slim fast shake blended up with one banana and ice as well as a cup of Greek yogurt or grapefruit on the side.
For my morning snack, I would choose between a variety of healthy granola bars and more fresh fruit like apples and peaches.
At lunchtime, I would prepare myself a hearty turkey and provolone sandwich, a salad filled with fresh vegetables, or another slimfast shake.
Afternoon snack normally consisted of an apple and peanut butter..they were made for eachother.
Dinner, regardless of eating in or out, was always pretty light and filled with as few ingredients as possible to prevent a lot of chemicals from entering my body.
I will admit, dessert became my absolute favorite: Greek yogurt with fresh berries and Kashi cereal all mixed together with a cup of herbal tea.
The foods I was eating were simply delicious and I was drinking water nonstop during my days.

And then it came to exercising.

My exercise routine is one to joke about.
In my past, I struggled with exercising excessively and burning more calories than I was putting into my body.
I was hesitant these struggles would come back but quickly after beginning my high intensity 12 minute work out..I knew this would not be a problem.
I remembered how much I hate working out!
True story.
I will hike a mountain no problem, but having to pop in a dvd and exercise in my living room just made me cringe and realized I much prefered my sleep in the mornings.
I am happy and proud to report I did completed 5 full weeks of working out every morning.
5 weeks..that is longer than a month people! (As I pat myself on the back)
My body was changing a little everyday and I knew my hard work was paying off.
Old clothing began fitting and I found getting dressed in the mornings was enjoyable.
If only I kept up with the work out..

I may, just may, have abs.

But let's be real.
5 weeks remember?
No abs but definitely a smaller waist line and tummy!
I am beyond happy to report my heathlier eating habits and diet have remained consistent during the last four months.
I have more energy and accomplish more each day.
I have been taking vitamin supplements and learning more about my body and what it needs.
My prayer life has taken up the majority of my days by simply turning my thoughts into a conversation with God, giving everything to Him and thanking Him as I lay in bed at night for the wonders He is working inside of me.
My body is complicated, filled with cysts and migraines, but I know I am on the path to finding a cure for those things.
Getting healthy is a slow process, one that takes determination and patience.

God is providing that and so much more.

My emotions have been different the last four months.
They have been relatively the same and have avoided the crazy emotional roller coasters.
The hubs has approved ;)
My heart has been filled with the fruits of the Spirit.
It is the most incredible experience watching as your body is transforming in front of your eyes.
I am proud and so is my husband..and my Savior.
My body is His temple and it is up to me to keep it that way.
I am not fully there, but like I said, it is a process and I am well on my way!

I want to leave you with a few powerful verses found in Galatians Chapter 5.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires   what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.


Thank you.

9.02.2011

.It's the Weekend.

Need an idea how to celebrate the weekend? Try this:

Camping and Outdoor Movie Night at Home

Adam and I had a little back to school celebration with Grace and Joy.
We invited them over for a special sleepover..one that involved:
- Tents
- Fire
- Smores
- Blankets
- Pillows
- Outdoor Movie 
(thank you projector and bed sheet!)
 The girls fit in a few snuggles before beginning the movie..
..and we got our snuggle on during the movie :)
Happy Weekend To You!

.Dear Pinterest.

You are an incredible world filled with amazing images.
You make it easy to waste time being inspired with what you have to offer.
You have given my blog a total of 8, 242 views.

You're pretty rad.

Love,
Katie

Dear Pinterest Users,

Thank you for pinning various projects I have completed this past year.
Thank you for sharing them with others.
Thank you for your excitement and fresh eyes.

You are appreciated.

Please remember to show your love to the creator of the pins you see.
Please remember bloggers, just like me, need your affirmation.
Please remember comments keep us motivated to create beautiful things.

Let's spread the love past pinning.

Love,
Katie

9.01.2011

.Fall Flashback.

Today is September 1st.
I can hardly believe we are approaching a new season.
Time passes quickly and while I am sad Summer is over, 
Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year.

Chilly breezes.
Scarves.
Colored leaves.
Fires.
Wool Socks.
Cider.
Camp outs.
Hayrides.
 Apple Picking.
Hiking.
Pumpkin Carving.
Fleeces.
Baked Goods.
Boots.
Harvest Parties.
Blankets.
Family Visits.
Sweaters. 
Corn Mazes.

I started this blog in November 2010 and filled it with crafts for the Fall season. 
This post is a Fall Flashback to those crafts.
 Click on the titles to see full posts and tutorials.

Be inspired!

Happy Living--Happy Fall
and remember
--Little Things Bring Smiles--