Welcome to our garden

Our garden is literally a little corner in our yard.

Surrounded by a cute little picket fence.

Where you will be greated by this:

And see so many yummy things growing...like:

Sugar Snap Peas

Tomatoes

Green Peppers

And also growing, but not photographed:

Carrots

Lettuce

Hot Peppers

Onions

Cilantro

Canteloupe

Strawberries

Pears

Peaches

Grapes

We so love going out to the backyard and picking fresh fruit and veggies.

My "One Little Word" for 2011

Happy New Year, everyone!

Isn't it exciting to start the a brand new year? The thought of all the new possibilities, opportunities and experiences. Oh, it's enough to make this here girl downright giddy!

And as you may (or may not) remember, I'm not big on New Year's resolutions. And that might just be because in my entire lifetime, I have never once managed to stick to a single one of them!  Never. Ever!

I do however, subscribe to Ali Edwards' "One Little Word" challenge! And I am happy to say that it's that time of year again, my friends! The time when I disclose that "one little word" to focus on throughout the year. And since I wanted to make sure this posts today, on 1/1/11, I'll be sure to keep it short and sweet.

Following are the OLWs I've focused on the last few years:

2010 ~ Declutter

2009 ~ Simplify

2008 ~ Relax

2007 ~ Go

This year, after thinking about it for a few days, my word finally hit me like a ton of bricks. My OLW for 2011 is: RENEW.

RENEW
(ri no̵̅o̅′, -nyo̵̅o̅′)
verb
1. To make new or as if new again; restore
2. To make new spiritually; regenerate
3. To take up again; resume
4. To begin (an activity) again; recommence
5. To restate so as to reaffirm; repeat
6. To make extensive changes in; rebuild 
7. To restore to a new or fresh condition; replenish
8. To regain or restore the physical or mental vigor of; revive
9. To bring into being again; reestablish

I will spare you the details of how this word found/chose me, but I can honestly tell you it is perfect, and in this season of my life, I could not have picked a better word for myself if I tried.

The desires of my heart are to renew so many things in my life right now and I am so excited about sharing these with you in the coming year. So, to help me stay on track, I'll be highlighting some of the definitions from above and blogging about how I've applied them to myself and my goals.

Have you made your New Year's resolutions yet?

If not, wanna give this approach a try? 

If so, what's your OLW for 2011?

Harvest Time

A few years ago, Scott had a vision of a backyard garden for Isabella (Sam had not been born yet). Nothing too big or too complicated. Just somewhere we could plant some fruit and vegetables and have her pick it and eat it fresh. In addition, we have a box that is dedicated solely to annual flowers we pick and plant every spring.

Last year that vision finally became a reality. And we LOVED having our garden. We enjoyed eating lettuce and carrots and herbs and blueberries straight from our back yard. This year, Scott and Isabella have expanded our crops to include potatoes, garlic, onions and a bunch of other yummy items we can't wait to sink our teeth into.

Today was a special day, because we were finally able to harvest our very own strawberries. And I can't even tell you how excited the kids were to do this. In our own backyard!

We only have one box, so obviously there weren't as many as we had access to when we picked them at Jones Orchard recently, but I know for a fact that the experience of picking them in our backyard was much more thrilling for all of us.

And finally, here's my picture of the day,... our awesome little garden:

It's like having our very own mini farmer's market!

This weekend

This weekend we spent a whole lot of time at Lowe's
enjoying the fabulous weather, smelling eating the pretty flowers,
and shopping for lots and lots of these here beauties:
And once we had two flat carts full of colorful lovelies, we spent a lot of time working on our yard. My mom came over and helped us clean up the flower/vegetable beds and plant all of our goodies.
In addition to delighting in our beautiful flowers, this year we hope to enjoy lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, garlic, potatoes, peppers, sugar snap peas, onions, scallions, carrots, strawberries, blueberries, pears, plums and grapes ~ all from the comfort of our own backyard! Not to mention the herbs we're growing inside. Talk about locally-grown and fresh. We can't wait!

Not pictured are three Weeping Cherry Trees we got for our backyard ~ two white, one pink. They are STUNNING! I'll make sure to share some pictures as soon as they're in the ground.

**********

This weekend we were able to spend a few hours with our dear friends, the Prosperos, who were here for a soccer tournament. Although we weren't able to spend as much time together as we would have liked, it sure was fun catching up after almost 4 years without seeing each other.

And to say I was shocked to see how big their boys are is a HUGE understatement. This family is so unbelievably special to me. I first met them back in 1995 immediately after graduating from college and upon starting my first real job. We quickly became great friends. Gabe, their oldest, was about Sam's age at the time. The younger two weren't even born yet. I babysat these boys all the time. And now they are all big young men and It. Kills. Me!

**********

This weekend Scott and I finally carved out some time and managed to get caught up with some of our DVR shows and this one was incredibly inspiring:

Scott has been a big fan of Jamie Oliver for a while now. Me not so much. I can honestly say that I am much more so after watching two episodes of his new show. His main goals are to make people healthier, make people cook their own food, and make people spend time together during the process. What's not to love?

**********

This weekend I finished reading this book:
which is officially one of the best books I have ever read. Oh my goodness, it is absolutely amazing! It is a beautiful young adult novel with a heartbreaking subject matter narrated in a very unexpected, yet extremely poetic, way. I definitely recommend it to everyone.

And started this one:
I've only read the first couple chapters, but so far, so good. I'll keep you posted.

This weekend was a really fun weekend!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

First of all I'd like to say that I am beyond ecstatic to have the month of February over and done with. To make sure to end the month with a BANG, Sam was diagnosed with an ear infection on Friday and is now on another round of antibiotics. Oh my goodness, for being the shortest month of the year, it was definitely a TOUGH one for us.

But March, oh March is looking really promising in so many ways. Yep, I have officially designated March of 2010 to be the month of change. And I'm not talking about the face lift the ol' blog got, which I think is really pretty if I may say so myself. I have quite a few changes I'd like to embark on during this month of new beginnings. Some of them are of a personal nature and I think I'll keep them that way, at least for now. But you know me and you know that I just have to share some of the other changes with you. Yeah, cause you know that's how I roll.

(1) Spiritual: I am so committed to starting every day with the Lord. I had gotten really good about this, but I've been slipping quite a bit lately. I've noticed that on the days that I don't have scheduled quiet time with Him first thing in the morning, I lack a certain amount of much needed patience (remember, I do have an almost two year old who is amazing and CRAZY!). So it's a date! On my calendar it goes!

(2) Health: I'm totally giving up drinking regular Classic Coca Cola (oh my, even typing it is painful).
This is not to be taken lightly, people. This is my crack! I love it! I want to marry it! I want to live with it happily ever after! But alas, I know it's loaded with heavenly sugar and other delectable poisons which are not good for me. So as a friend I feel the need to warn you that it may be in your best interest to stay away, at least until I'm done with the shakes, which could possibly take a few days.

(3) On the Home Front: It's hard to believe that we have lived in our house for almost 6 years. During that time every room in the house has seen a couple coats of paint. Some, like the kitchen, even more. Well, I say every room, but in reality two haven't seen a single coat of paint: the upstairs bathroom and our Master bedroom. The upstairs bathroom has wallpaper that needs to be removed ( I shudder at the thought). Our master bedroom,... I'm not really sure why it's been so neglected for the last few years. But regardless the reason, that ends this month! I am going to paint it and spruce it up and make it oh so pretty. I can't wait to show you pictures of the final product. Yeah, there are no before pictures to share of this project and that, dear friends, is on purpose.

(4) 30 bags in 30 days: I recently read a post in a blog that I follow where the author talks about 40 bags in 40 days. All through the season of lent (40 days) she was going to declutter every single room in her house and get rid of 40 big garbage bags filled with stuff/junk. The bags were either going to the garbage or to Goodwill. Unfortunately, since I did not start on Ash Wednesday, I don't have 40 days, but I do have the entire month of March to work on it. And yes, I know that March has 31 days, but 30 just sounds better to me. And just so you know, my goal is for there to be at least 30 bags, but quite possibly a lot more. This could be SO addictive. Get outta the way kids, Momma's on a roll!

(5) Speaking of changes, I think it's about time I update my profile picture. That's the picture I used when I started this blog almost 3 years ago. Hmm, I guess I better get on that!

Well, I think that's all for now. If I should add any more ch-ch-ch-ch-changes to my list, I will make sure to let you know.

P.S. I know you've got David Bowie's song, Changes, in your head right now:

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Just gonna have to be a different "wo" man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

Can you believe that song was originally released in 1971? One year before I was born. Geez, I feel really old right now.

Hearing the voice of God

There are a few areas in my life that I need to totally change, like NOW. All of these areas are definitely within "my" control.

I mean, no one dictates what I eat or drink, but me. So my weight issues are totally within "my" control.

No one really dictates how I spend my time, but me. So my lack of time (read motivation) to complete certain tasks is definitely within "my" control.

And don't even get me started on my lack of patience these days. That's definitely within "my" control. Right?

Well, that's what I've been thinking for the last few years. But then it suddenly hit me,... if all of these issues are totally within "my" control, then why have they been, and continue to be, issues that haunt me on a daily basis? Obviously, I'm doing a terrible job! So by the way and just for good measure, let's now add GUILT to the list of issues I have that are within "my" control.

So, I decided one of the things I need to change immediately was the time I was spending with God every day. I'm ashamed to admit that whatever time God did get from me was usually at the end of the day, when I was physically exhausted and emotionally and spiritually unavailable. And seriously, doesn't that just sound like pure joy? Anyway, since that was obviously NOT working, I wondered what would happen if I met Him first thing in the morning instead, as soon as I woke up, with an open heart and mind.

Well, yesterday morning I finally opened the devotional I purchased well over a year ago, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. (Rachel ~ your copy is on its way!) And this, my friends, is what I'm struck with first thing on Monday morning: "Trust Me by relinquishing control into My hands. Let go, and recognize that I am God." Hmm,... OK? So maybe I'm not really as in control as I like to think.

And that was immediately followed by this: "When you bring Me prayer requests, lay out your concerns before Me. Speak to Me candidly; pour out your heart. Then thank Me for the answers I have set into motion long before you can discern results... If you keep on stating your concerns to Me, you will live in a state of tension. When you thank Me for how I am answering your prayers, your mind set becomes much more positive." And honestly, who doesn't want to be more positive? So I proceed to tell God about a few things that I'm currently struggling with and would really appreciate His help with, since I'm doing such a bang up job handling them myself and all.

Like for example, the fact that some big, overly dramatic and cranky boy apparently ate my sweet, happy, little baby boy, since he's been MIA for the last few weeks. (Hello, Terrible Twos!! We meet again!) And I really need His help since I have absolutely NO patience with Sam lately, but I don't want to be remembered as the mom who yelled all the time. Because I honestly feel like I have been yelling at that boy ALL.THE.TIME for the last few weeks.

Can I just say that Sam and I had a wonderful day yesterday and are on route for another wonderful day today. Not because my sweet, happy, little baby boy is back. Oh, no! I shudder at the thought of what comes after the terrible twos,... it's the atrocious threes. It's all because I am now getting some much needed divine assistance! It's SO crystal clear to me.

Last night my wonderful church was hosting Lysa TerKeurst and the introduction of her new Bible Study. This is the second time I have the privilege of hearing her speak. She is funny and amazing and inspiring in oh so many ways. She has been featured on Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, Good Morning America, Woman's Day Magazine, “O” Magazine and on the Oprah Show, twice. If you have not seen or heard her story, I totally encourage you to check out her speaking schedule to see if she's visiting a town near you. You will not be sorry!

One of the first things she said that definitely got my attention was: "Would you like to know what God's will is for you? Because if you do, I'll tell you." Yes! Tell me!! Tell me NOW! And she did. She said God's will for all of us is written in His book for all of us to see, read and apply. You can find it in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, which says: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

She was quick to explain that it's not easy to be joyful always. Life is definitely not always a joyful ride, and don't we all know it! And also, that it's no coincidence that the Word says give thanks IN all circumstances and not FOR all circumstances. There are definitely circumstances in life for which no one is thankful. But God wants us to change our perspectives. To re-write the scripts in our minds. He's not interested in what He wants us to do. He's interested in who He wants us to be; in our characters. Especially when life happens. Because when we give thanks to God, it absolutely moves His heart! And you see, my personality type is that of a feeler and a pleaser (is that even a word?), so the thought of me doing something so little that actually moves God's heart, well... that's just mind-blowing.

But I'll be the first to say that as I was sitting there I was thinking "Yep, that sounds wonderful. It really does. But how exactly does one get there?" And just as if she heard my question, she answered it with: "You need to learn how to rely on God on a daily basis. You need to learn how to become dependent on God every single day. You need to learn how to pray continually and ask God for your daily portion of __________(fill in the blank ~ patience, will-power, faith, hope, strength, optimism, courage, humility,...). Because when we ask God, His strength is always a perfect match to our weakness". WOW!

Can I just tell you that I have never in my entire life heard God speaking to me more clearly and more loudly than I did all day yesterday. I know many people who often hear God speaking clearly and directly at them. Yesterday, I was one of them. And it was AMAZING!

To open my heart, my mind and my ears and go to God first thing in the morning with my minuscule problems (in the grand scheme of things) and actually have Him respond the way He did, is one of the best experiences I have ever had.

My "One Little Word" for 2010

Happy New Year, everyone!

So here we are with 2009 behind us while we welcome 2010 with wide open arms. Don't get me wrong, 2009 was a fabulous year for our family. We are all alive and healthy and happy and together. And in my book, that makes for a pretty wonderful year. But I'm also very excited about the new year and all the possibilities it has to offer.

If you've followed this blog, then you know I don't do the traditional new year's resolutions. However, at the beginning of every year I pick a word, one little word, to focus on in the new year. Last year my word was "Simplify" and you can read more about that here.

Simple is definitely not the word I would use to describe 2009. In my defense let me just say that I actually picked that word before I knew of the arrival of my parents to Memphis and my Dad's heart surgery and then the arrival of my grandmother, her most recent hospitalization, and so forth. I had really high expectations of a much "simpler" year, but never the less the circumstances of our lives did not really foster simplicity. So, I'm going to give "Simplify" another chance and a different spin this year and try a word that is much more within my control, regardless of what life throws my way.

So for 2010 the "One Little Word" I have chosen to focus on is: "DECLUTTER".

"DECLUTTER" as in:

DECLUTTER our house. Have a yard sale (or two). Donate to those in need. Donate to Goodwill. GET IT OUT OF THE HOUSE!

DECLUTTER my mind. Stop worrying so much about the what ifs or the whys or the whens. Focus on gratitude and praise. LIVE IN THE NOW!

DECLUTTER my calendar. Start saying no. Leave some margin in our calendar. Focus my time on things that really matter. Enjoy more quiet time. LIVE A MORE PURPOSEFUL LIFE.

So there you have it ~ I am planning on doing some serious "decluttering" in 2010 and just writing about it makes me giddy. Deep inside I crave simplicity and organization and this is the year I'm going to make it happen. And I can hardly stand it!

Oh, and I think I might also want to try my hand at crocheting. We'll see.

My "One Little Word"

Happy New Year, everyone! Have you set your New Year's Resolutions yet? Are you that person who does year after year? I did! Oh, did I ever! I couldn't wait for New Year's Day to start living the new and improved life I'd always wanted to live. But it had to be on New Year's Day, not one day earlier.

The truth is that I should have just recorded my resolutions one year and played them back year after year: eat healthier, lose weight, exercise more, be more patient, spend less money, be a better person,... Well, a few years back I decided to stop that practice in order to stop setting myself up for failure and disappointment over and over again.

So, here's what I suggest: Kick your "New Year Resolutions" out the front door and open yourself up to something new that you can really accomplish.

A few years ago the talented Ali Edwards started something called "One Little Word". The following is the way she describes it in her own blog: "The idea behind the one little word concept is to give yourself something to focus on throughout the year." Simple, isn't it?

I've actually been doing this for the last couple of years. In 2007 my chosen word was "RELAX", and boy did I need it then. I made sure to place my word where I could see it and remind myself to stop, breathe and relax when things seemed to be getting a bit out of control, as they sometimes do. And it really helped. Well, I mean not always, but often and isn't that what it's about?

Last year (2008) my word was "GO" as in "GO with the flow" and "let GO" and "GO for it". A bit more general I know, but this allowed me to be more flexible and open myself up to a lot more. And honestly, it was a good word for me last year. The only other word that I can think of that could have really helped in 2008 was maybe "SURVIVE", but I didn't really think of that one until after we added an infant to our mix, Isabella hit the atrocious threes and we started that whole potty training thing.

Anyhoo, without further ado I have chosen my word for this year and I am thrilled with it: "SIMPLIFY".

sim·pli·fy
Pronunciation: \ˈsim-plə-ˌfī\
Function: transitive verb

: to make simple or simpler: as a: to reduce to basic essentials b: to diminish in scope or complexity : streamline c: to make more intelligible : clarify

As I stay home with our two wonderful children on many occasions I have found myself wanting to "SIMPLIFY" things in our lives. Things such as reduce some of the clutter in our home, rotate their toys, free up some time to allow for some margin in our lives, plan ahead to keep things a lot more manageable.

So there you have it. SIMPLIFY is my word for 2009 and I'm hoping to embrace it in all aspects of our lives, starting immediately actually. You see, I've already started the planning process for Sam's First Birthday party in March. If you know me well, then you know I LOVE birthdays and can get a bit ahem!, carried away at times. I've just looked at my planning sheet (oh yes, I have to write everything down otherwise I won't have anything to cross off (a tad OCD, I know) or I'll surely forget something) and suddenly felt an urge to SIMPLIFY things a bit.

I am SO looking forward to this new simpler year! Do you have a word you want to focus on in 2009? If so, won't you play along? Leave me a comment and let me know what it is,...

I wish you a 2009 filled with health, love and prosperity!

Is there a defibrillator in the house?

So a couple of my friends invited me to join them for a Zumba class tonight. I couldn't very well say no being that (A) the class is in the evening, so Scott would be home to keep the kids (B) the Community Center where it's held is literally less than a mile from my house and (C) after my less than stellar weigh-in, I decided this was the week to kick butt, remember? So I went. Mind you, I had absolutely no idea what Zumba was. Have you heard of it? Apparently it's the latest craze in the aerobics world and everyone everywhere is talking about it.

The Zumba website describes it as follows:
Zumba fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy to follow moves to create a dynamic workout system that will blow you away. Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba Fanatics achieve long term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exhilarating hour of caloric-burning, heart-racing, muscle-pumping, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!

OK, let just start by saying that I don't even remember the last time I did aerobics. Or any type of aerobic activity. Or really any type of activity at all. If I had to use one word to describe my activity level here lately it would probably be, oh I don't know, maybe something along the lines of sloth-like. It's so bad in fact, that the four of us went for a walk to the park this past Sunday and I was literally about to die on the way back. I did NOT think I would make it. And I was the one pushing the stroller, which I am positive is the only reason I was able to remain upright. How's that for bad? I know! I'm not exactly proud of it, which is why I'm doing something about it, OK?
Anyway, I went to Zumba and it was loud and funny and entertaining and fun and exhausting and hard work. Although I must admit my life did flash before my eyes on more than one occasion, I stuck with it and did the the whole thing. I do not lie to you when I say that I cannot feel my legs right now, my waist is killing me and my arms are like Jello. Imagine what it'll be like tomorrow, especially when I have to carry our 23 pounder around ~ YIKES!

Will I go back again? Absolutely! Having some girlfriends there definitely made the experience a lot more enjoyable for me. Although we laughed a lot ~ with each other and at each other ~ it never once felt awkward or competitive or anything crazy like that. And to top it off it was Latin music Baby, and you know that's right up my alley.

So there's my first step towards becoming active again. But with how I'm feeling right now, when I'll be able to take the next step it's anyone's guess. So wish me luck and a speedy recovery! Yes, I said I would kick butt this week, I just never thought it would be my own.

And finally, being that I'm not a huge fan of posts without pictures, here are a few for your viewing pleasure:

This one is now sitting on his own (for a little while anyway),

and chomping at the bit to start crawling.

He's almost got it,... Lord help us.

This one has entered the "crying over everything stage". Yes, everything.

Oh, I'm sorry, did I say everything? Because I what I really meant to say was EVERYTHING! And let me tall ya Folks, it's super fun! If you don't have one of those, you really must go out and get yourselves one immediately. It's just SUPER! It should be illegal for anyone to miss out on this much fun.

But this, well,... this just melts my heart.
To see them playing together and enjoying each other, that's just pure bliss.

Alright, gotta go now, take a shower and most likely die. It really was a pleasure knowing all of you!

Hello, old friend ~ we meet again!

Well, it was bound to happen and it finally did. I'm totally fed up with the way I look and feel. Which means what exactly? I've finally joined Weight Watchers,...again.

I went this morning after dropping Isabella off at school and met up face to face with my nemesis ~ that awful scale! Of course the number it spat back at me didn't surprise me one bit since it was precisely the reason I was there in the first place. But still, GEEZ!!!!

Please don't let my (,...again) comment confuse you. I happen to be a HUGE (hmm, I might want to choose my words more carefully) fan of the WW program. The first time I joined was back in 1999 and I was unbelievably successful. Back then I was single, working crazy long hours in a new town with no friends. With not much else going on in my life at the time I gave the program 150%. So what happened you may ask? Well, I met and fell in love with Scott. I was happy and in love and eating late night dinners and desserts and drinks. As my personal life was on an upswing, apparently so was my weight. At some point I stopped going to the meetings altogether, which is a big NO NO for me.

I rejoined WW when I worked with my friend Lynn in St. Louis. Remember, Lynn? It couldn't have been more convenient; the meetings took place during lunch time in the building that we worked in. It was definitely fun to have someone to do the program with, go to weigh-ins, make little wagers and serve as a support system ~ you know especially at times when you're standing there unable to breathe while staring at a box filled with a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Then at some point the doughnuts won and it all went to downhill.

In 2004 I joined again and was doing great. I lost a little over 20 pounds within the first month and that was all the motivation I needed to stay on track and keep going. Then one day SURPRISE! I was pregnant with Isabella and could no longer follow the program and/or attend the meetings. But I had such a wonderful pregnancy and such a beautiful little girl, I wasn't discouraged. I knew I'd be able to go back and give it my best when I was good and ready.

So fast forward a couple years and there I am walking right back in there with an additional 10 pounds. But it was OK, I was just as motivated on following the program as I had been the other times. Again, history repeats itself ~ I lost about 20 pounds that first month. I was feeling good and totally determined to do this, just like I knew I'd be, and then BAM! Pregnant again!!! This time with our wonderful "little" Sam.

Anyhoo, here are a few observations on my very personal journeys with the WW Program:
* I do GREAT when I have NO life
* I do OK when I do the program with someone I know
* Weigh-ins and meetings are a definite requirement for my success, without that accountability I might as well not even waste our money
* Apparently I love a good challenge since every single time I go back I show up with 10 extra pounds than I did the time before
* As soon as I'm down 20 pounds I'm going to have to send Scott to sleep on the sofa, at least for a while ~ I mean seriously!

I am very excited to have rejoined, feeling super motivated and looking forward to my weigh-ins. And the reason I am telling you all about this is because, like I said before, I do much better when I have a support group and accountability. So every Monday I will update the blog with my progress, which will hopefully be pounds lost.

So wish me luck for this coming week. I'm definitely gonna need it!

ENOUGH!

That’s it! I’m done! Effective immediately there will be no more whining, no more complaining, no more fussing, griping, groaning, lamenting, nagging or protesting. Seriously, no more!

So what if I my house is not always spic and span clean and furnished like it’s ready for a home magazine photo shoot? Isn’t the important thing that we provide our daughter a nourishing environment that will allow her the opportunity to develop into the amazing human being she is becoming? With a toddler, two dogs and two cats our house nicely fits under the category “Child and Pet Friendly”. Some day we’ll invest in all the nice furnishings and accessories our little hearts desire, but right now we prefer furnishings built by Little Tykes and Fisher Price ~ it’s well built, sturdy and never out of style. I strongly recommend it.

So what if I don’t wear a size 8,… or 10, 12 or 14,…? This weight thing is not a new struggle, it’s been going on for as long as I can remember. Stressing about is clearly not helping being that I eat when I’m stressed and I stress when I eat. Hello? Anyone out there notice a trend? So right now I vow to stop, take a deep breath, relax and work on living a healthier lifestyle. I didn’t put on all of this weight overnight, and unless there’s some awesome magic drug being tested out there that will take care of this issue (and yes, call me immediately if there is; I’m totally against animal testing so I’ll gladly volunteer myself), then I will gradually work on losing it,… or work on losing it gradually ~ which one is it? Oh well, it’s one of the two.

So what if Scott and I have to give a babysitter ½ of our life savings in order to go out and enjoy some alone time and some uninterrupted adult conversation? It’s totally worth every penny of it. I’m pretty certain that it’s much cheaper than marriage counseling and in the end we’re investing in us (and our babysitter’s college fund, but that’s not the point).

So here’s what I’m doing instead: Say hello to my new Gratitude Journal.

This is nothing more than an altered composition book. My goal is to write, every single day, about things that I am grateful for and take the focus off the “negative” things we’re surrounded by. If you really stop and think about how very blessed we are, the question becomes: why in the world do we complain so much?

Well, today I say enough. As of today I am going to stop complaining and start really enjoying this wonderful life that I’ve been given. I am going to count and write my blessings every day. What do you say? Are you game?