Just say no!

I just have to shout it to the rooftops! I said "No." And it felt good!

In my quest to be super mom, I rarely say "No". In fact, I usually say, "Sure. I'll do it (bring it, provide it, pay for it, volunteer for it, etc.)"

Oh, sure, I say no to my kids all of the time. In fact, my first answer is usually no, then I stop... think about it, then sometimes change my answer to a yes or 'what does your daddy say?'.

Sometimes when I am asked to do something that I don't want to do, I sometimes take the passive approach and allow others the opportunity to step up. It doesn't always work out... but I tell myself in the end that if no one offers, I'll step in and help out. It's my little way of helping others say yes some of the time. Wish it worked more.

Some people don't have any problems at all saying no. I am not one of them.

Recently I was asked to do something that I did not want to do. I had no desire to do it! And you know what? I straight up said "No." I was not "No WAY, forget it!" I just politely said, "You know what, that just doesn't work out for me and my family." And you know what? It felt good! Oh, baby, it felt good!

So, my question is... are you a yes'er or a no'er?

So close...

I can feel it coming... we're almost there... 3.5 more days til school is out! What a relief it will be.

• No more 12 mile = 30 minutes commuting in horrendous traffic... and that's just one way!
• No more out the door at 7:25 a.m. and not returning home until 4:00 p.m.
• No more homework!
• No more emails from the room moms (although, the room moms so totally rocked this year!).
• No more school related events to try to keep up with.
• No more lunches to make, backpacks to keep up with and school uniforms to wash!
  

Can you tell I'm so excited to finally catch a break? Ahhh, I can't wait!

Of course, with me working this summer, we'll have to adjust to a new summer schedule, but working 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Monday - Thursday will be a cinch. Plus, the girls will have a nanny this summer, so I'm relieved that they will only have to spend a nominal amount of time in childcare this summer!

So, aside from giving 1/2 of my paycheck to the nanny... I think it will be a great summer!

End of School Teacher Gift

Who doesn't love personalized note cards? I know I do!

Sunday, I began looking around for ideas for notecards. This is "inspiration" note card that I found on the world wide web...

Here's my version:

I'm going to format 4/page and bring them to Kinko's. It costs $1.25/page (or .$32/each). I'll probably make 16 note cards for each teacher.

I'll then wrap them in a pretty cellophane bag w/matching ribbon, enclose the gift card and there ya go... simple, pretty and fun!

Running!

I'm so proud of myself! I actually left the confines of my home and ran around the neighborhood as my form of exercise. And, I did it twice!

For those who don't know me... I loathe running! But, I loathe more the fact that my jeans are snug... so, I've hit the pavement to try to slim down a bit.

The first time I ran, it was for 25 minutes (or 2.2 miles). I burned 200 calories. The second time I ran, I ran another 25 minutes (a different route - I need to calculate the miles) and burned 260 calories! I kicked it up a notch on the second run and only walked to recover my heart rate down to 160 bpm and then I would start running again. My friend Cyndi would be proud!

Since my gym membership expires at the end of this month and I won't be renewing my membership until September, I'm needing find alternatives to working out, aside from lifting weights - which I can still do at home.

I've also purchased Jillian Michaels "30 Day Shred". However, after looking at the DVD, I'll be honest... I've done all of those exercises before in gym classes and I wonder if the level three format will challenge me. (I know... roll your eyes Anna...) But, I'm still going to do the 30 day workout. I mean, it won't hurt and at least it will give me something to do each day. (I haven't tried it yet... I plan on doing that today... I'll keep you posted, Anna!)

The girls have 7 school days remaining. They are getting excited to be off for the summer. We've hired a nanny to come everyday to care for the girls while I'm at work. She has babysat for us on various occassions and my girls love her! I work with her mom too. She comes from a great family and is heading to Texas A&M in the fall to study pre-med. She wants to be a criminal pathologist. I think what sold her on the idea of working for us this summer was this comment from me, "Seriously, all we want you to do this summer with them is feed them, make sure they don't burn the house down and take them to the pool every day." What 18 year old could resist that? Making money AND laying by the pool?

How do you know?

"God did not make me a mother to fail as a mother." - Christine Caine

Ever since I found out I was pregnant with Elisan, I questioned God about his choice to give me a little girl. I have not always been the ideal daughter and wondered what God saw in me, to give me a girl. Then, Kyla came along and I really thought, "Wow, God must really be trying to show me something here!"

It's no secret that I feel incredibly blessed to be the mother of two beautiful little girls. Yet, there are times when I wonder if I am the mother that God set me out to be. Am I making the right decisions... Am I making the most of my time with them... What kind of role model am I for them?

Just like most moms, I am so in love with my children, it hurts! It hurts me because I hope I am doing 'right by them' and oft times wonder if I will ever know. It hurts me because I wonder if I am equipped to raise them up to be Godly women, because truth be told, I haven't always been such a Godly woman myself. It hurts because I fear my choices today, will affect their forever. It hurts because time is quickly slipping away and I know that I will never get this time back.

And honestly, will we ever know? I seek God for the answers, but sometimes His voice just isn't clear enough for me. I do know that God has equipped me with wisdom. James 1:5 says that all we have to do is ask for wisdom and God will freely give it to us. And I do know that God doesn't intend for us to fail.

As I am heading into (nearly my eighth year of motherhood) I realize, that yes! God did know what He was doing by giving me girls. My prayer is, that as I navigate this life, God will be alongside of me, imparting spiritual wisdom and understanding. That He will pick me up when (not if...) I fail. That He will give me the energy to be the mother (wife, friend, daughter, sister, volunteer, employee) that He intends for me to be, because it is not with my strength, but with His strength.

God did not make me a mother to fail. Thank you God, for trusting me with your daughters.

Mother's Day Tea!

My girl and me!

Look at the sweet smile!

A moment to brag...

I have to brag on Elisan today!

On Monday, she ran up to me after school wearing two medals! She could hardly contain her excitement when she told me why.

She won a 1st place medal for "best story" for a book that she wrote at school. She also won a 2nd place ribbon for best illustration of the same book.

(I say book, because it actually is a book. The school had a fund raiser event where they sent the stories to a publisher to be published in a hard bound book. The parents had the option to purchase books, etc.)

She is also in an advanced class called "Discovery" and they wrote a story in this class as well. In this class, she won a first place medal for the illustration of the her story (which is also now a book!)

I could not believe my eyes! She won two first place medals and a second place ribbon for her work. I'm so proud of her!

I'll post pictures of the books when I get them. The first place book for "story" will be on display until the end of school. I haven't even read the story yet! I can't wait!

Ever had one of those days... weeks?

I am in a bit of a funk... slump... whatever you want to call it. And it's been going on for days now... perhaps even a week by now.

It's not PMS... well, it isn't PMS this week...

Anyone know how to get out of funk that doesn't require working out (I'm already doing that), eating ice cream or spending money?

Um, Yeah.

And so, it begins...

Sibling rivalry. I am surprised it is coming on so soon.

The story? Read on...

I am proud to say that Kyla Mae is now a full-fledged reader! Randy and I could not be more proud of her. Her, and the fact that her PreK teacher is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! She is a fabulous teacher and we could not be more pleased with how Kyla has progressed this year, much in part to the efforts of her teacher Mrs. Fleming.

She is reading so well, that I brought out Elisan's kindergarten (Abeka) books to give to Kyla to begin reading. She is doing well with them. So, I got out Elisan's first grade (Abeka) books for Kyla. She is able to sound out a lot of the words and is doing really well, considering the amount of time that she has been reading.

Well, Elisan is NOT happy at all. She is upset that Kyla is reading her first grade books because according to Elisan, "Kyla hasn't learned all of the phonic's rules yet!" I can't help but giggle just writing that sentence!

And to add injury to insult, Randy and I began teasing Elisan by saying that we thought Kyla Mae should skip kindergarten all together head straight into first grade! Elisan about had a cow! Seriously! And because we are cruel parents, we began teasing her even more telling her that we thought she should begin sharing her current collection of Junie B. Jones books with Kyla. Elisan said, "Mom, there are words in there like 'appropriate'! She can't read the word 'appropriate!'".

Randy and I backed off. Seeing how much it upset her. But, it was just too good to pass up.

See? The deal with Elisan is that she is a rule follower. To the 'nth' degree! She can't even play a made up game with bouncy balls unless she incorporates so many rules and regulations that it isn't even fun anymore. We have to tell her, "Okay, no more rules, let's just play the game" more often than we care to. She is a black and white thinker. No gray area allowed. (She is soooo like her daddy it is just wrong, wrong, wrong!)

Anyway, back to the reading... Elisan began reading in kindergarten. When she entered kindergarten, she had just turned five in August. Kyla turned five in October, a month into PreK. So, you see? They both learned to read at the same exact time in their lives... The difference is that Kyla was in Prek and Elisan was in kindergarten.

Of course, you can't tell that to Elisan. It makes no difference to her. She only knows that Kyla will soon be encroaching on her territory. -sigh-

(At least Elisan hasn't figured out that Kyla is better than her at soccer!)

Red Poppy - more pictures!

Here are our super cool motorcycle riders! I love this!

Red Poppy Festival!

This past weekend was the 10th Annual Georgetown Red Poppy Festival! Our church had a booth set up at the festival giving away candy, nylon backpacks, and of course balloons!

We had such a great time!


Here's our booth at the beginning of the festival! I love the balloon arch! Which, by the way, I learned how to do a balloon arch, if anyone is needing one!

Here's Kyla Mae ready for the parade!

Still waiting for the festivities to begin...

Here's our group! The Celebration Church Motorcyle Connect Group!

Because I'm so cute...

Last Friday, I picked up Kyla Mae from school and I needed to go into work to finish up some last minute stuff before the weekend.

She was greeted by all those who she came into contact with and everyone was very nice and excited to meet her.

As we were gathering our things to leave, she said, "Mommy, everyone is very nice to me at your work." And I said, "They sure are nice to you, aren't they?"

And she said, "It's because I'm so cute."

I kid you not.

So, I am going mobile all the way! Now blogging on the go. How cool is that? As long as I don't text/type while driving, i am good to go. Right?

So...

So... I'm sitting here thinking, 'I really need to blog' but really... what is there to say?

I have A LOT to complain about... and that would be taking the 'low-road', so I'll stick to the high road and not complain.

I mean, why would I complain that I can't seem to budge the scale? That my clothes are not fitting properly. That I have been nearly starving myself to lose weight, only to be mocked when I step on the scale. Okay, okay... that is a little drastic, I'm not starving myself, but I am keeping my caloric intake to 1500 calories a day, which 'feels' like I'm starving myself. That is not anything you really care about, now is it?

Or, why would I complain that I began a new stage in my weight lifting program that has my fanny on fire right now? I mean, why in the world would you want to know that?

Or, why would I complain that I'm so dogged tired all of the time. That going to bed at 9:00ish just isn't early enough for my delicate sensibilities. That would be ridiculous because everyone knows that 7 hours of sleep is plenty for the average normal person.

Or really... why would you care that I'm behind in my reading homework for my small group at church? Or that I have just been getting by in the laundry department. Or that my house just isn't as clean as it used to be. Or, that my kids don't have toothpaste. I mean, really... that's not any of your business!

So, now that I've decided to take the high-road, I'll tell you about the cool stuff that is happening in my life! My girls are happy and healthy! My husband is happy and healthy! And me? I'm happy and healthy too... tired, but happy and healthy!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Easter Fun!

Hallelujah!

The Thrill of the Grill

I fired up the grill last night for dinner, but that is not the only thing that got fired up!

Unfortunately, Randy was running late from work so we were waiting on him to get home so I could grill the chicken. About 40 minutes after I had lit the grill, Elisan hollered at me and said, "Mommy, something is crazy with the grill!" and when I looked outside, there was a big column of smoke and fire coming from the grill. I ran outside to rescue our (gross, but functional) green plastic chair and this is what was left of it.

The top? Completely melted in the fire.

The wind had blown it over into the side of the grill, which is a charcoal grill (luckily). I can't imagine if it was a electric or gas grill. I don't think Randy would have been too happy with me ruining a nice grill with melted green chair.

For Sale: Cheap Green Chair!

Springtime!

Who am I?

Last night I had an epiphany. Easter is this weekend! And, while Easter weekend has not escaped me this year... I mean, I DO work at a church and Easter is on everyone's mind... the idea of Easter baskets HAS escaped me. Who am I? I honestly don't know anymore!

I guess in the back of my mind, I kept thinking I'll have my day off this week to take care of their Easter basket goodies this year, but lo and behold... they have Friday off too... And, why wouldn't they? It's Good Friday, for goodness sakes!

So, here I am, wondering when I'll get a chance to gather up Easter basket stuff. I guess I will have to do it tonight after the girls go to bed. Not ideal, but I'm desperate here.

In other news, work is going well. I really enjoy the work and the hours are great. But, I'm still struggling with balancing everything. Even working 20 hours a week, I find that I am having great difficulty getting everything done. And, then there is the guilt that kicks in when I realize I can't participate in the girls' class parties and school events, especially as the last six weeks of school are the busiest for end of school activities and trips. -Sigh- But, I try to remember all of the times I was able to devote to their school stuff and I can't let guilt get the best of me.

I've adjusted my work schedule so that I have time to get to the gym in the a.m. So, from 8:00 a.m.-9:15 a.m., I am at the gym. 30 minutes of cardio and 45 mins of weight lifting. Admittedly, I've only taken off two pounds from the five I gained last month, which makes me sad, because I'm working really hard and I'm not seeing the weight loss results I am accustomed to seeing. Oh well, it's not a race, it's a marathon... blah, blah, blah... I know!

And finally, I'm sooo tired. I am most assuredly not getting enough sleep. We are in bed at 9:00 - 9:30 p.m. and I wake up at 5:15 a.m. (give or take 5-10 minutes). But, honestly, I have been known to fall asleep on the sofa at 7 p.m. Seriously, I could go to bed at 8:30 p.m. and have no regrets about it, other than the fact that it shows I'm old and soooo not cool for staying up in the wee hours futzing around on Facebook or watching mindless TV, because that is what I'd be doing if I were up past 10:00 p.m. So, the question is... what time do you go to bed; what time do you wake up; and on average how much sleep do you need to feel human? Do you use the weekends to 'catch-up' on sleep? I need some sleep help!

Headache

This week, Kyla came to me with her hand on her forehead saying her head hurt.

Then she said, "Mommy, my brain has stopped thinking."

I just love my little five year old!

My poor pitiful blog {sigh}

I feared this would happen. My blogging would take a backseat to my job.

{sigh}

Truth be told, I have a lot I want to say, but not a lot of time to sit down and thoughtfully put it into comprehensible text. So, I neglect.

I know... I KNOW! I have put a lot of time, effort and energy into this blog and to see it dwindle down to 1-2 posts a week... well, quite frankly, it breaks my heart. It is like a clock that is slowly winding down... tick, tick, tick, until finally it stops. Frozen in time.

I will say, I do not want that for my beloved blog. But, truthfully, I just can't keep it up like I used to. So, don't "unsubscribe" to my blog simply because I am not updating as often. Rather instead, keep on subscribing to my blog to help me celebrate the small victories I call "create a post".

Much love,
Erica

Another tooth?

The toothfairy strikes again!

Look what we had!

At least there is an upside to spring storms!

50 days

Oh my... Elisan came home from school today and informed me that she has 50 days of school left until the end of the year.

Wha? Already? I'm JUST now getting into the groove of school and the nerve of it all... it is almost over.

I don't know about you, but 10 weeks is just around the corner. Please someone make time slow down... for goodness sakes!

Coming Clean

I know most of you will probably have one of two reactions to my update:

1.) Really? I'm surprised...
2.) It was only a matter of time...

The news is that I have gained about 5 pounds. Yes, it is true. Five pounds and it is all in my butt.

I can blame it on several things... since working I've lost the luxury of spending 1.5 hours in the gym every day. Or, the fact that I scaled back my cardio in lieu of weight lifting, thus lowering my metabolism... of course, if I had been weight lifting consistently, my metabolism would probably still be up there. Or, I could blame it on my winter evening snack which consisted of a big ol mug of steaming homemade hot chocolate... don't forget the mountain of whipped cream I would occassionally add (oh, who am I kidding... it was more than occassional) AND the tablespoon of choc. syrup I'd add as a finishing touch.

Honestly, I blame my weight gain on the hot chocolate. Furthermore, I blame Elisan's school for it. See? The reason is that they had a Valentine's Ice Cream party and I signed up to bring 2 cans of whipped cream and 2 bottles chocolate syrup. But, they didn't use it all, so I brought it back home. Rather than seeing it go to waste here, began (slowly) adding a smidgen here and a smidgen there. Then, it was so yummy, I could hardly control myself. Soon, I was piling on mountains of the yummy whipped cream! I even bought another can once I polished off the leftover cans from the party!

I quickly snapped to my senses (when all of my homemade hot chocolate mix was gone) and have repented. And what do I have to show for it? Five pounds of stubborn weight that is not budging!

There is a lesson in all of this... stay away from the whipped cream.

Impending Dread

About this time each year I get that feeling in the pit of my stomach of dread.

I dread the upcoming 7 months of excruciating heat. Yeah, that's right... April through October. And don't say I'm exaggerating either... you Texan's know good and well that most Halloween nights your kids are sweating in their costumes.

So, the dread part... yeah, that is sad isn't it? Don't get me wrong, I love Spring. LOVE IT. I love the promise that Spring brings... new life, green grass, budding flowers, etc., etc. Oh sure, that's all great! But, what I don't like is the drastic end to winter we always seem to have around here.

There is not 'easing' into Spring. Nope. It's cold one week, then BAM! it's 80+ the next week and there ain't no looking back.

I know there are some of you out there that love the heat and say, "Bring it on!", and yes, to some teeny-tiny part of me agrees, because I don't do winter well either...but man, it is already hot outside.

So, now the dilemma is: since we are experiencing 80+ temps, is it okay for flip-flops? How about sandals? Tank tops? Bright Spring-y colors? Summery handbags?

What's the protocol here? Because really, I don't know how much black I can wear in the blazing sun.

Okay, that's all on the matter...

Dirty Little Secret

If I had more time, I'd submit a weekly blog post called "Dirty Little Secrets", but I don't have time anymore since I began a job and since I've turned off the computer.

But, here is today's dirty little secret...

Did you know that you can pop whole kernel popcorn in a brown paper sack in the microwave? Ummm, yeah. I didn't know either until I can across an article somewhere about it. Honestly, the idea escaped me until last week when I was cruising the popcorn section looking for those 100 calorie mini-bags of popcorn. Then I saw the price - and then I remembered the cheap version of microwave popcorn.

So, I cruised on over to the paper good aisle, bought 100 brown paper sacks for $1.50 and never looked back at the popcorn aisle again!

So, how do you do it? Well, it is a trial and error kind of thing, since everyone's microwave is different. But, I'll tell you what worked for me.

1/4 cup popcorn
1 brown bag
2 mins in the microwave on High.

There ya go... Easy enough! I am sure you could add a drop or two of oil and salt, etc. before you pop it, but since I wanted plain 'ole non-flavored popcorn, I just added a smidgen of popcorn salt at the end.

So, go on... try out this dirty little secret!

When I think about my childhood

When I think about my childhood friends, my first thought is about Amy and Amanda, my two oldest friends.

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to get together and visit. Amy, who lives in Dallas drove down to Austin to see a friend who's husband is stationed in Germany. Her college friend was in town for a couple of days and Amy was able to sneak away to come for a visit.

While she was down in Austin, we all made plans to meet at Amanda's house (who also lives in Austin) for a visit!

It was just like old times and before we knew it, THREE hours had passed and we were still talking and catching up. We even broke out the old high school annual and talked about all of the people we've reconnected with through Facebook. It was such a great time and I wish we could get together more often.

It is a good reminder about what having a GOOD friend is all about! Someone who knows you... (from the time I was 8/9 years old) who has seen you have failures and triumphs, yet, still loves you. Someone who accepts you... knows the basis of your beliefs... and at the end of the day, understands you completely.

Thanks Amanda and Amy for such a great time yesterday. LOVE YOU!

Sans Kids

We are without our kids again this week! This week makes 3 weeks we have been without our kids since July!

We have gone from zero time together since having kids to lots of time together. I'll admit, it has been nice.

But, of course, I miss my girls. They are having fun and being well cared for... so that is all I can ask for. Heck, they must be having fun, because they haven't checked in with us today.

Hmmmm, perhaps I need to call them and make sure they are not having too much fun. Uh oh... too late... they are already in bed Randy just found out. Oh well... maybe tomorrow...

Until then, Randy and I will have a nice quiet (or maybe not - hint! - hint!) evening to ourselves!

Musical!

The second graders put on a musical last week! It was so cute!
Elisan also had a musical, but I was busy video recording it,
that I didn't get pictures of her singing at the microphone.
But, rest assured, it was very sweet and made my heart proud!

How do you... (edited)

... handle a question of integrity? When a person you respect acts in a way that is unbecoming... or, you simply question their integrity behind their decision and/or action (even if it doesn't affect you)...

I ask because recently Randy presented a situation to me that happened to him and I was amazed at his lack of response. My initial reaction was "getting all emotional" about it... But, he was... "Why even waste my energy..."

So...how do you respond?

Do you:

1.) Get all emotional?
2.) Vent to anyone who will listen?
3.) Bottle it up inside?
4.) Ask God to help you get over it?
5.) Never get upset over other people's actions/decisions that don't affect you?

I'm curious.

Me? I think I am #1-4 (in that order...)

First Game

Saturday marked the first soccer games for both girls!
It was a good day... although very windy and cool outside.

Here is Randy congratulating Elisan after she scored a goal.
I think this is my new favorite picture!

Here's Kyla and her teammate celebrating a score for their team!

Here's Kyla and me snuggling to keep warm!

Locked Out

Oh not what you're thinking... I was not locked out of my car, home, office, etc. I've been locked out of my computer.

See, the problem is...

"I'm a computer addict and my name is Erica."

"Hi Erica" - the listless crowd responds...

And because of that I had Randy change the password on my computer so when I shut it down, I can't turn it back on. Seems extreme right? Oh, no my friend... it has been a blessing.

Once that computer is off, I don't turn it on again, until after the girls go to bed. What freedom! How liberating it has been...

So, that is why I haven't been around much... I've been locked out of my computer. And, I'm loving every minute of it.

Another blur... um, weekend

Wow, the weekend is over already. I was just getting used to Friday! This year has gone by at an extremely fast pace. It is already March. I'm going to start fishing out my shorts, tanks and flops here in the next week or two...

Lord, please help me to stop and take in all that is going on around me. I pray that I not take any day for granted, but rather enjoy each day for the gift that it is.

An atheist explains to how to evangelize

I came across this video this morning and it really struck me. Here is Penn, from Penn and Teller, talking about how a man gave him a Bible after one of his shows. The part that really struck a chord with me was when he said, “How much do you have to hate someone to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell someone about that.” Whoa.

If you have a few minutes to spare, watch this clip. It's powerful.

Random

Ooops! I misfired on the "publish post" button... so if you are a feed reader, I apologize for the blank post!

There is something so freeing in doing a 'random' post. No subject, no theme, no developed plot... just random.

Thanks for all of the feedback regarding my gym time vs. at home workouts. I've decided to keep the weightlifting at the gym. I just enjoy it so much more there... like I've said before... something about those big shiny mirrors! I did end up buying a pair of New Balance running shoes, so we'll see if I actually make it outside to exercise. Truthfully, I may just have to walk. I'm so clumsy that I tend to wrench my ankle anytime I run on the street/sidewalk combination.

Soccer began yesterday. Practice every Monday and Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Games on Saturday. Forget having lazy Saturdays anymore. We'll now be at the soccer field for two games until mid-May. All I have to say is "bring it on"... it is easier to complain, so I choose to embrace it! I welcome the great memories and good times ahead!

Is there such a thing as too much sleep? I wonder...

Since beginning my new job at church I have been subscribing to a bulletin board for people in church marketing. It is very interesting and I love reading all of the ideas that come from it. The other day, someone said that the church should be the leading force in creativity and innovation (as per marketing) because we serve the God of ALL creativity! Isn't that awesome? So true...

Amy over at Living Locurto challenged me to a weekly thrifty find from my local Goodwill. And honestly, I could skip Goodwill for two months and STILL post a thrifty find each week because I have found so many good deals there in recent years. But, because I have been challenged (and I can't resist a challenge) I'll start posting some of my fab finds from Goodwill. Maybe not weekly, but at least 2 times a month. Here is a pair of Express Editor ankle pants I found for $7.99. As you can see, they are brand new! Score! I have these exact pants in black (also from Goodwill) and they are hands down my favorite dress/casual pants. When I found these pants on the rack, it was one of the moments when you look around and think... is this a joke? Why hasn't someone bought these yet? And trust me, when I find stuff like this, God gets the glory for it. (Girls, I pray for favor every day... and if this isn't favor, I don't know what is!)

I leave you today with random pictures from the weekend. First up, Kyla Mae in ther bathing suit and boots. She was determined to put her bathing suit on Saturday and play outside. She did have her coat on, since it was 59 degrees outside.



Here's my sweet Elisan reading on the couch. She may be just like her daddy, loving science and math, so when I see her reading it makes my heart leap with happiness. That is because her mama loves to read!



And finally, this is why I love living with a pasture as my backyard. Although the land is not ours, we get to enjoy the cows for free!



Look at this baby... he still has his downy coat!

Freedom

Oftentimes when speaking to my girlfriends, the topic of submission comes up. If you are a Christian, you know that the Bible says that wives are to submit to their husbands.

What does submit mean? Well, the actual definition of submission is:
1. The act of submitting to the power of another;
2. The state of being submissive or compliant; meekness.

I know that this idea makes some women's skin crawl! The act of submitting to a man could possibly be the most revolting thing some women have ever heard... but here's my take.

With submission, comes freedom.

What?

Yes... freedom.

By 'giving up' the power to my husband, I am free (or have freedom) to act in my role as a mother, wife, friend, mentor --freely! I no longer have to live outside of my role by trying to be all of those things and also the role that God intended for man.

Don't get me wrong, because we have a marriage relationship that is Christ led, he honors me as his wife. That same verse that says, "wives submit to your husbands"; well, the second part of that passage is "husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up to her." So, when I submit to my husband I am doing it out of honor and respect. And consequently, he loves me unconditionally. It is a partnership and I'm here to say, it works.

It is the same freedom we experience when we give our lives to Christ and allow him to take control of our lives. When we accept Jesus as our savior, submit obediently and unconditionally to Him, we have the freedom to live. That's why He died on the cross for us. For our freedom!

So girls, I guess what I'm trying to say is this: Stop trying to do the job you were not intended to do. And, if you are "stuck" playing both parts because your man is not acting within his role, then pray that God begin to move in his life to become the leader of your household - both physical and spiritual.

Much love,
Erica

P.S. - I am almost positive this may generate negative comments and I'm cool with that. But know that at the end of the day, this is my blog and I reserve the right to delete comments that are not encouraging to the reader.

What's a gal to do?

So the reality is that I have less time to spend at the gym these days. My gym time used to begin at 8:30 a.m., but since I began working, I try to squeeze in an hour at the gym after work before I pick up the girls from school.

And because I only have an hour, I have to choose... weight lifting or cardio. The truth is, we have all of the weight equipment I could possibly want to use here at the house because Randy works out at home. But, the reality is that I have only used it 4-5 times. (Whiny voice...) It's just not the same as the gym weights. And the gym also has the fabulous cardio machines that I love! The stair climber and the elliptical are my two favorites.

So, I'm torn... do I start weight lifting here and do cardio at the gym? Or lift weights at the gym and drag my bottom outside to run?

See, the problem with me running outside? Well, I hate to run. I loathe it. Oh, sure, I ran track in school, but c'mon, that was over 20 years ago. Besides, I only ran the sprinting races like the 400 yd relay, 100yd dash and the 100yd hurdles. I also ran the one mile relay but by the end of my lap around the track I was sucking wind so bad that I thought I would pass out... or throw up. Seriously, it was that bad.

The fact remains... I am not a long distance runner...never have been, never will be. But, running is free. It is efficient. It is effective. So, I wonder... should I give it another go? Keep the weight lifting at the gym and run in the neighborhood? Or keep the cardio at the gym and lift weights at home?

Any thoughts from you runners out there? Oh, and don't go tell me to buy a pair of running shoes that are over $75.00. It just ain't gonna happen...

Weekend Wrap Up

Hello World! How was your weekend? We had a good weekend. Nothing too spectacular, but nice all around!

Saturday was spent doing piles and piles (and piles) of laundry from the entire week! Since I began working, I don't have the time (or effort or energy) to do laundry in the afternoons, so I've allowed it to pile up until Saturday. I'm not jazzed about spending the entire Saturday doing laundry, but it is a sacrifice I'm willing to make!

Randy gave us girls our Valentine's day goodies. He got the girls both a shirt and a box of chocolates. Yum for me! Um, I mean...yum for them! He got me an iTunes gift card which is pretty cool b/c I was just browsing iTunes for some cool new workout music. I love the hour long cardio re-mixes that are played in step classes. I want to buy something like that, but everything I find on iTunes is lame. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to find a really cool (preferably 90's music!) cardio remix?

Later that afternoon, we took a family trip to Sam's. Yes, we are so much fun, I know. You are jealous, aren't you? I'm glad Randy takes these trips with me because we spent $175.00 and only bought a handful of items. It is shocking to him and I'm glad. See, the thing is... I can spend well over $200.00 a week on groceries. He never complains about it, but I know he has to wonder why I spend so much money every week. I spend that much money because I cook every night. Well, every night, with the exception of Saturday night... that is our family date night. Plus, I make four lunches Monday through Friday and that adds up quick! So, realistically, spending $200.00 is pretty awesome, I'd say!

After our trip to Sam's, we had dinner at Jason's Deli, one of my favorite restaurants of all time and ate waaaay too much, but I ordered the salad bar, so that's 'okay', right?

Sunday we went to church and it was awesome! Later that day, I brought the girls on a shopping excursion to spend the $5.00 they received from their Granna and Grand-d for Valentine's day. I was so proud of them... They combined their money and bought a together gift to make their money go further. Now, that takes maturity! Let's see how that works out for them in the long run... Here's hoping it does!

Sunday night was finished off with me volunteering in the church nursery. Time flies by when you are in a room with 8 infants! Whew! It was fun, but quickly reminds me how time consuming teeny tiny babies are. It also reminds me that I'm very content with my 5 and 7 year old girls!

Today is President's day and the girls are out of school for this holiday. I'm missing work today, but will make up my time on Friday (the day that I am usually off). I love my job in that I have some flexibility. It makes a difference to our family when I can be there for my girls. Plus, it makes my going back to work an easy transition for them. We're very blessed!

Speaking of the girls being out of school today... I promised them a picnic and a day in the park, but looking outside, it looks icky! I may end up resorting to a trip to McDonald's instead. Trust me, they'd be just as happy with going to McD's as they would be going to the park. Especially since we hardly ever go there anymore. Something about eating a french fry and having an aftertaste that lasts a little too long...

On that note... have a great President's day!

happy {heart} day

25 Random Things about Me

Most of my facebook friends have "tagged" me to do this, but I have relented in doing this until now! Why not blow 20 minutes coming up with random stuff about me. Some of this you already know...

1. I have worn glasses since I was in the first grade. Party on...
2. I have never liked my name, Erica... or my middle name, Larenda.
3. I love to Karaoke. My favorite song to sing is "What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes.
4. My husband and I rarely fight. If we do, it is because I pick the fight.
5. And it is usually when I have a raging case of PMS. (PMS is not an excuse... it is real, very real!)
6. I love to eat hot wings. If they weren't so high in fat, I'd eat them every week.
7. I lived in Denmark for 7 months. It was the worst and best time of my life.
8. Y2K freaked me out.
9. I ran the hurdles and short distance relays and races in highschool.
10. I hate to run.
11. I love to lift weights. I would love to look like Jillian, the personal trainer on Biggest Loser.
12. I don't like BBQ. My husband says I am not a true Texan.
13. I am a true Texan and proud of it... I like Mexican food... does that count?
14. I was the editor of my school newspaper in high school.
15. I have a Criminal Justice degree.
16. I have held two professional licenses - Claims Adjuster and Realtor.
17. I hated insurance and real estate.
18. We are debt free... completely and 100% debt free, including owning our house outright!
19. I love to read, but can't find the time. I have resorted to books on CD while I drive.
20. I am addicted to email.
21. I buy most of my clothes at Goodwill. Shhhhh, that is a secret!
22. Did I mention that I am thrifty? A tightwad? Frugal? Cheap?
23. My husband is the funniest person I know. However, I am the only person who knows this.
24. My girls are best friends. I pray they stay that way.
25. This took longer than twenty minutes. Now, I'm running late.

The Tooth Fairy

Boy Gentleman

This morning as the girls hopped out of the vehicle and raced to the front door of the school, a young man who had to be about 10 years old was waiting for them so he could hold open the door for them to enter the building.

If I had to say one thing about the school I send my kids to is this... they teach manners! I have had more doors opened for me by little boys at that school than I have in my recent memory of grown men in public. Isn't that awesome? A school that teaches young boys to be respectful? To have manners? What a novel concept! But, it's not just the boys... it's the girls too. Saying yes ma'am and no ma'am, yes sir and no sir are not only taught, it is expected! I love that what we teach our kids at home is also being taught in school.

I hope manners never go out of style!

Oh insurance... why has thou forsaken me?

Back in June, I was diagnosed with "moderate" hearing loss. This week, I got a call from my Ear, Nose and Throat doctor's office about a 9 month follow up appointment to get my hearing re-checked and evaluated to determine if there have been any changes.

But... I can't go. When Randy changed jobs back in July our insurance changed. The new insurance does not cover any hearing related exams, testing or devices. What? How is that possible? I would think that hearing is kind've important , don'tcha think? And paying out of pocket is not possible since the hearing test that was done in June cost over $2K. Don't even get me started on the high dollar expense of hearing aids! They are about $5K for a set!

Truthfully though... even if my hearing has gotten progressively worse in the last nine months, I'm not to the hearing aid level yet. So, realistically, getting my hearing checked would be for informational purposes only.

I will say that my hearing impairment is really a drag. I do notice more and more how I don't hear things they way that I should. While I know someone is speaking, I can't always make out what they are saying. It's like garbled goop to my ears. Blah!

Gaining some perspective: I'm just blessed to be able to hear at all! Garbled or not...

Valentine's Cards

This year, I veered away from creating photo Valentine's cards as I've done in the past for the girls. This year I created actual cards for them to trade.

Since Kyla is in PK and cannot read, I went on ahead made her card ready to pass out to friends. I saw this little owl on a melamine plate at Target and thought it was cute. Re-creating it was a snap! I love the little heart feathers on it's chest!
Since Elisan is older, I knew she'd want to be able to write the names of her friends on the card. So, I added a box for her to do that. This card idea was inspired from an American Greetings card. It was also a snap to re-create! I loved making the cute lady bug and butterfly! So cute! However the first creation did not have enough hearts on it, so Elisan asked me to add hearts to the center of the flowers too!


I brought them to Kinko's for high-quality printing on card stock paper. I was able to put 4x/page and the cost was only $1.25 per sheet. Not bad and much nicer than the store bought cards!

Although not my original inspired ideas, I thought the cards turned out really cute!

Time Management

I'm suffering from major time management issues!

Most people who know me, know that I am pretty organized. My home is organized, my car is organized, my schedule is organized. Time management comes easily when all areas of your life are organized wouldn't you agree?

Well, apparently I'm not as organized as I am thought to be because I am really having a hard time juggling everything I need to do at work right now. It's the little things like email, meetings, tasks, etc. that are just enough of a distraction that keep me from performing the way I would like to. Add in the fact that I only work 20 hours a week... well, to be perfectly honest, I feel like I'm spinning my wheels! Don't get me wrong, I love my job. I really do! Like I said before, God set this job aside for me! It's the learning curve that is hard!

And truthfully, I'd love to be able to put in more time to actually finish a task. If I was left to my devices I would go in early, stay later and fiddle around with work on the computer at home. But, I have to honor my man and not work from home... at least not work from home and take time away from my family. And, staying later is not an option since I have to pick the girls up from school... same with going in early.

I have to say...it's hard! I want to excel at work, but I want to give 100% at home. (Yes, I'm blogging right now which seems like I'm not giving 100% of my time to my family, but blogging requires zero thought... AND, I'm cooking... see time management?!)

So, what's a gal to do? Any ideas oh ye internets? I need schooling in time management... but as Randy just said, "When you find someone who knows anything about it, let me know!"

Valentine's Tea Party Fun

The girls had such a great time today. We had 10 girls over today for our second annual Valentine's Day Tea Party. Each girl brought a craft item to share and they made cards. Afterwards, they snacked on cookies, cupcakes and lemonade! The tea didn't go over well! Go figure!

This is a great party for my girls and I think we'll host another one next year!

Guidance

My dad has lived his life full of physical pain. From the time he was a little boy he was diagnosed with a disease called Perthes. Basically the femur ball at the hip joint dies from lack of blood flow and the bone grind against the hip socket. He walked on crutches for several years as a child because of it. Since then, he has had a full hip replacement, which included lengthening this leg because he walked with a severe limp all of his life.

My dad has had cancer. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in his early 50's which is a very young age for this type of cancer in men. He has lived cancer free since then. He is fortunate enough to receive his care from M.D. Anderson and has a phenomenal doctor. He sees her regularly for blood work and bone scans to make sure the cancer is kept at bay.

My dad has had a heart attack. He has also had angioplasty at least two times in his heart.

My dad suffers from neuropathy, which is a nerve disease that causes intense pain. He experiences pain when he sits, stands, walks... whatever he does... he is in constant pain.

About two weeks ago, my dad had a stroke. Thank the Lord it was "mild" and he recovered from the episode within a few hours. My mom, who is an R.N. was with him and was able to immediately determine what was going on. They are being referred to a neurologist as I write today to determine what his next step is.

I guess I write all of this to say that I can't imagine living the life that my father has lived. He has had his fair share of pain and suffering and to be honest, I only listed the big stuff. There are a lot of little things, health wise, that he has had to deal with over the course of his life... stuff that honestly, will wear anyone down to the point of screaming out... "WHY ME, GOD?"

And, don't think for a second he hasn't done that very thing.

I'm reminded of Paul the Apostle who lived with a "thorn" in his flesh. The Bible is not clear as to what that suffering was - whether is was physical, mental, spiritual... but Paul asked God to heal him three times and God did not heal him. While Paul was able to perform healing miracles, he himself was left without healing. To a person who doesn't have Jesus in their life may wonder what kind of God would do that to their beloved apostle. But what Paul's sufferings taught him was to rely on God.

I can honestly say that my dad, no matter what the circumstances has always turned his heart to God and sought after Him. He may not understand and may enter into a period of mourning and sadness, but he eventually will look to God and rely on Him to carry him through.

I don't know why my dad has been afflicted the way that he has been throughout his life, but God knows the purpose and the reason. I pray that my dad remain steadfast, seek God's guidance and praise Him, even in this desert place.

My shadow

It's no secret that Elisan prefers her Daddy over me. And really, the are so much alike, I'm not surprised or upset over this. In fact, I think it's great they get along so well.

And, it's no surprise that Kyla Mae prefers my company. Maybe because Elisan dominates her Daddy's time and Kyla Mae is left with me. Who knows... nonetheless, through the years Kyla Mae and I have cultivated a sweet loving Mommy/Daughter relationship. Honestly, I absolutely love the special bond we share.

Now, don't get me wrong... I'm not showing favoritism... not in the least. Elisan and I have a wonderful bond too. Kyla and I are just more alike, just as Randy and Elisan are more alike.

Lately, KM has been my littlest shadow. She follows me around the house and wants my undivided attention. Two times this week, she has hung out in the bathroom while I've taken a shower just so she can be in the same room as me. Her favorite time of the day is when we all pile on the couch at night to watch TV before bed. She'll make up "our" spot with a pillow and a blanket so we can snuggle together for 30 minutes before bedtime.

I love it!

I want to remember this time in my life. Time speeds by so quickly that we often forget the little things that bring us joy. I hope by writing this down, KM will remember these times too.

Teacher's Pet

Today on the way home from school Elisan told me her job this week was "Police Patrol". She went on to say that her job was to tell the teacher the names of all of the kids who talked when they were in the hallway, walking to and from other classes and when the teacher had to step out of the classroom.

She was very proud of her 'job' and told me that she reported to the teacher the names of four kids who were talking when they were not supposed to.

I couldn't help but snicker a bit... I mean, don't you remember those days vividly? The kid who was always left "in charge" when the teacher left the room? I remember NEVER wanting to be that kid. Ever! But, true to form, Elisan loved the power and executed her duties flawlessly.

I don't know where she got that from... maybe there is a mutant gene somewhere down the line.

I mean, if you have to eat it...

When I began serious weight lifting I learned that cottage cheese is basically the 'perfect' food for fat loss and muscle gain. I'll admit, this did not make me all warm and fuzzy inside. In fact, when I bought my first container of cottage cheese and had my first taste... well, I wondered how in the world I could possibly eat it ever again!

Why all the talk about cottage cheese? Well, because I finally figured out the best way to eat it - for me, anyway! I'm so happy because honestly, it was one of those foods that I just had to suffer through... you know the old saying "eat to live" and "live to eat". I was definitely eating to live when I would eat cottage cheese.

Last week I purchased a jar of Smucker's Fruit Spread (strawberry flavor) for an add-in to my cottage cheese. Oh my! What a difference it makes! But, here's the truth... one tablespoon of this delicious spread is 40 calories... which isn't a lot, but be aware that there are added calories. I now enjoy eating my cottage cheese! Thank you Smuckers!

So, in short... cottage cheese is a super food, low in calories, low in fat and high in protein! When's the last time you ate cottage cheese?

For new and interesting ways to eat cottage cheese check out this website!