fresh picked whimsy

I'm sorry, I was going to clean the house, but i couldn't find it...

My house is about to lose some weight.

And by "my house", i really do mean...my house.  Yup.  I have been inspired by Sarah over on Clover Lane and i am joining her 40 Bags in 40 Days Challenge. 

"What's that?", you ask. 

Well, it's genius, i tell you!  Genius! 

Beginning on Ash Wednesday {that's THIS Wednesday!}, i am going to go room by room and purge my house of 40 bags of clutter.  You know, the stuff you really don't use, don't want, don't need.  Some stuff is garbage and some stuff could come in handy for someone else.  My house is loaded with that stuff.  Overloaded.  It's time.

So, why Ash Wednesday?  Well, this challenge goes hand in hand with Lent.  Lent for me, means reflecting on the sacrifices that God has made for me.  It's a time for soul-searching and repentance.  It's a time to come clean...in my faith, in my life and in my home...to prepare for the upcoming gift of Easter.  This is the perfect time for this Challenge. 

Following Sarah's lead, i've made a little list for myself...going room by room in my house and each space is going to lose some poundage. 

40 bags sounds like a lot.  It is a lot.  Sadly, i think i could probably fill a lot more than that.  But, we'll see. 

I seriously can't wait to get started.  I will take lots of before and after pictures.  That's going to be so embarassing because I'm a pack rat {and i have raised little pack rats!}.  I keep everything.  I'm not a good housekeeper.  I am not organized...i was not born with those genes.  But, i'm turning over a new leaf and i'm going to do this with a prayerful heart....in gratitude for all that my family is blessed with and with clear intention to be more aware of how we spend our money. 

So....who's with me on this?  Think about it.  Pray about it.  Let me know. 

p.s.  you guys rock, once again...totally inspiring me with your encouraging comments after my last post.  thank you, so very much. mwah! ♥

Gettin' my sweat on

"You're crazy"

"Who do you think you are?"

"You can't do this."

"You never finish anything."

These are just some of the things i hear in my head as i continue my everlasting battle with the bulge.  Do you hear those things too?  I don't think i'm alone in this.  But, somehow, someway, i manage to push them to the back of my mind and try to scream these things even louder...{in my head, so as not to alarm the folks who might be within ear-shot}

"crazy determined!"

"I'm worth it!"

"oh, yes i can!"

"watch me!"

I made a GIANT committment to my fitness goals and registered to walk in the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon. 

Yup.  You read that right.  And, yes...i may be crazy.  I've never even walked a 5k.  But, i'm going to do it.  In fact, my hubs Mark is doing it with me.  We are 13.5 weeks out from it and on are following the Hal Higdon training program that our good friend and seasoned marathon runner, Joy gave to us. 

I have been submerging myself in all things motivating...pinning fitness motivation like crazy, reading inspirational weight loss blogs like Mama Laughlin and Runs for Cookies, praying for God to move my feet and pouring over the last 12 months of my Fitness magazine issues.  The weather has been unseasonably awesome up to this point, which made getting outside and walking easy.  I have been taking advantage of it.  But, now, it's actually winter-like again.  And, i HATE the cold.  I so wish we had a treadmill or a gym membership, but we don't.  And, i'm not going to let that keep me from attaining my goals.  I feel like i do so great throughout spring, summer and fall and then, once the cold weather hits, i put the brakes on exercise.  So, I have become a pro at improvising... 

• A gym membership is not in our budget right now.  But, i can still use the indoor walk/run track at the local community center, because that is open for free public use.  On super cold days, you can find me there. 
• On milder days, i have been trying to find different routes to walk and i am LOVING the imapmywalk app on my iphone.  It literally maps my walk, tells me how far i've gone, and how fast i got there.  (i know there are awesome pedometer apps out there, but truth be told, i'm not brave enough to input my weight yet onto my phone, which is required if you want to gain all the benefits of those apps)
• My church offers a free fitness class once a week, which is led by Beachbody fitness coaches. We do a lot of P90 and P90x stuff, Hip Hop Abs, Turbo Fire and Turbo Jam.  It's hard stuff.  But i feel so good when it's done.  I LOVE to sweat.  The sweatier the better.  I like to envision that my fat is melting!!!  Even though it's only once a week, i love the way it breaks up my walking routine.  It's a nice change up.
• Joy took me to the YMCA with her yesterday to walk on the treadmill.  She had a bunch of free passes and i'm going to try to go with her once a week.  Another change up...yay!  I LOVED the treadmill...it felt great even though i felt like i was walking on a moving sidewalk for a while after i got off. 
• I'm anxious for the warmer weather, when i will get my bike out again.  I have tried in the cold weather, but my eyes tear constantly, even with sunglasses on.  Then i can't see and i'm just an accident waiting to happen.

My hope is to walk/lightly jog the Mini.  However, ultimately, i want to become a runner.  I can't even believe i just typed that.  That's crazy.  The only running i've ever done in the past is running to the store to buy ice cream.  But, this is my goal.  Perhaps, next year i will run the Mini.  eek!  In the meantime, i need to stay focused.  I need to figure out how to cook healthier.  I hate cooking, but i do need to find some simple ways to make healthier meals for my family of 5.  Also, i'm in search of a great sports bra {for busty girls}, because what i've got now isn't cutting it.  If you've got a recommendation, let me know! 

Wow, this was a long-winded post.  But, i'm a believer in putting it all out there...you guys are always so supportive of me.  And, i'm just trying to keep it real.  Really real.  So, if you're fighting this battle too, we're in this together.  We can do this!  Let's go!  Let's get healthy!!!! {If you were here, this is where we would high five or fist bump or somethin'...  but, you're not, so consider yourself virtually fist bumped...}  xo

a l♥vely suprise!

Yesterday the UPS man pulled up in front of my house and made a surprise delivery.  I wasn't expecting anything.  I saw the return address and i nearly lost my breath.  It was from my sweet blogging friend, Jen in Massachusetts.  Could it be?...

See, Jen is doing a short crafting series on her blog right now...14 Days of Handmade Valentine Projects.  and this is what she made on day 2:

I immediately fell in love with it!  I left her a comment and said she needed to sell them in her etsy shop because i had to own one.  It is so so sweet!

Don't you just ADORE her lime green front door? So pretty and fresh!!!

So, back to the box...

be still my heart...

She sent it to me!!!  Seriously, such a lovely, lovely surprise! along with the kindest note...

She said "This heart, as soon as i added the wings and polka dots, totally reminded me of you.  I must've been channeling my inner whimsy studios!"  How sweet is that?!

it's hanging in my sun porch...because my front door is red. 

but maybe it needs to be lime green.  at least in february so i can show off my jen bowles design original winged heart.  ♥

This is just one of the many reasons why i love the blogiverse.  I have never met Jen face to face.  But, when i first started blogging a few years ago, i stumbled upon her creative blog and left her a few comments.  She was very gracious and welcomed me to blogville and we have just kept in touch over the years; leaving encouraging comments on each other's blogs and facebook.  I feel like i know her and we'd be fast friends if we lived closer.  Bloggers are just friendly folks.  That rocks.

Thank you, Jen, I LOVE IT!!!  Now i really feel badly that i dissed your New England Patriots in my last post!  :) 

Friends, go check out Jen's blog and her crafty Valentines series.  You will love it, too!

Welcome to Indianapolis...have a SUPER day!

 

{photo credit: Dave Duke}

All eyes are on Indy and we are so proud!  Even if we have to welcome the Patriots. It's good for our city.  So, we will offer our Hoosier Hospitality...even to the Patriots. :)

Indianapolis is all decked out and ready to show the nation the best Superbowl it's ever seen! 

{photo credit: IndyStarSports} 

Look at what they've done to the huge Dinos outside the Children's Museum!  So fun!...

Mark took the boys over the weekend downtown for the NFL Experience. 

It's an experience of a lifetime.  Indy may host the superbowl again sometime in the future, but most likely not during their childhood.  There is so much to see and do...

autograph session with Colts players... Riley was lucky enough to meet Colt's Joseph Addai while wearing his jersey...

the lines for the ziplines were hours long and it was freezing, so the boys opted not to wait.  But, it was cool to see...

It's so exciting to see all of the amazing results come alive from all of the hard work of the past few years.  We L♥ve Indy and we just know that our visitors will love it, too! 

GO GIANTS!!!!

can't get enough of this everyday love

Love that Rascal Flatts song.  It so fits the way i feel at this very moment.  Finding love and joy in everyday things.  Like my favorite faces in my kitchen...

 Sunny's fashion sense...

coffee and blog time most mornings...

plants that i have managed to keep alive in the winter!!!  My mom will be so happy!

Still having Legos messes...fully aware that these days are numbered...

this canvas painted by my uber-talented Katie and gifted to me for Christmas.  Makes me cry every time i read it...

in awe that Riley can solve these puzzle cubes in mere minutes...he is crazy smart like his Daddy.

having a lit prayer candle on my kitchen counter.  A way of praying that my mom and her mom taught me.  at home, it's the first thing i do when someone needs to be lifted in prayer.  I buy these inexpensive devotional candles in the mexican food aisle at my grocery store.  Some people think they are cheesy, but i LOVE them. 

trying to read a magazine and having Sunny lay his big head on my arm so i can't turn the pages...

i adore that Griffin has my grandfather's funeral program pinned to his wall over his bed.  We talk about Poppop all the time and miss him so much...

so happy for every extra day that i get with this sweet girl.  She's hanging in there.  Thank you for all of your messages.  Day by day.

Hooray for Friday!  Pizza night tonight with Mark's parents and then tomorrow my boys are all heading downtown Indy for the NFL Experience, which they are so excited about!  Our little big town, Indianapolis is in a Superbowl frenzy right now.  Hope to have pictures for you this week.  Other than that, our weekend looks pretty quiet and i love that!  Hope you have a great one! xo

songs that Grandmas sing

 This one's for you, Mimi...

Listen to the Doris Day audio of the song "a Bushel and a Peck" ...

A Bushel and a Peck

...don't you just LOVE Doris Day?!

Mark's Mom has been singing that song to my kids since they were born.  They call her "Mimi".  Those sweet sentimental memories inspired this new print.

{Katie and her Mimi 1994}

{Mimi and her grandbabies in November}

I posted a copy of this new print on my personal facebook page and couldn't believe how many of my friend's parents or grandparents sang it to them, too.  I loved hearing all of their stories.  Now, i'm all nostalgic and i'm thinking i need to paint the song my grandma {whom we also called "Mimi"} sang to me!  My sisters and Mom will know exactly what song that is.  The rest of you will have to wait....!  Do you have happy memories of songs that your grandmothers sang to you?

doodled door

if you can draw a heart...you can do this! 

Have you seen these awesome water-based Sharpies?  I found them at JoAnn's, by accident when i was looking for traditional Sharpies.  I was so excited and i knew exactly what i was going to do with them!!!

If you absolutely cannot draw a heart, you could always use a stencil, or trace the cardboard ones that you can buy at any craft store.  Then, just turn them different directions and embellish them a little with polka dots, stripes, arrows, scallops, etc... if you mess up, simply wipe it off and start over.  easy peasy.

You can even personalize them...

It was a little tricky to photograph on a snowy day, so i had to wait for night fall before i could take a picture from the inside out. 

After Valentine's Day, they will wash off pretty easily with a little windex and elbow grease. 

doodle away, my friends!

hello? it's the 21st century calling...

Great big hugs and kisses to all of you who have left me sweet messages here and on FB about our sweet Kismet.  Your kindness has been heartwarming.  She's hanging in there and we are spoiling her.  I promise to keep you posted.

♥♥♥

Mark surprised me and bought me an iphone for Christmas.  {major hubby points scored} Believe it or not, it's my very first smart phone.  I'm looking forward to all the ways it promises to help me stay on top of my business.  Right away i knew i had to create a custom case for it.  Mark did some research for me and found Case-Mate made some super durable cases that i could personalize.  It was really quite a simple process, once i figured out what i wanted.  i began with a drawing...

digitally colored it in Photoshop...

uploaded it to the Case-Mate site...

and waited very impatiently for it to arrive in the mail!

 I'm so happy with how it turned out.  {it's a gloomy day here today and i struggled for good light to take this pic, so the color is a bit off} I am currently trying to figure out how i can create and sell customized cases (affordably).  I've got a few leads for suppliers, and i will let you know when i get it all worked out.  oh, the possibilities!!!!

That said, if you use any apps that you just can't live without...let me know about them!  I'm looking for the best pedometer/walking app out there, too.  Any suggestions??

 

the most difficult life lessons

sweet Kismet girl...

our vet told us yesterday that our old gal is in her end days.  She is in hospice mode.  For the past year or so, she has swiftly been aging.  She sleeps most of the time, has severe arthritis, is mostly blind and deaf and has been showing signs of senility.  But, she's still a love.  Our love. 

Over the holidays her mobility became greatly challenged, she was shaking a lot and i knew i needed to take her to the vet.  but i was so afraid to take her.  i didn't want to hear what i knew she would tell me.  and she did.  I reiterated that we did not want to keep her around for our own selfish reasons...she has been too much of a blessing to us.  We want her to be pain free and we want to do right by her.  So, they decided not to vaccinate her and discontinued her heartworm meds...sent us home with pain meds for her arthritis which is the source of her lack of mobility and shaking and told us to love on her for her remaining days...however many there may be. 

It's the one and only drawback of having pets.  They never outlive you.  But what we explained to the kids {yes, we did tell them}, was that the wonderful 12 years that we have had with her makes it worth all the heartache that we feel now.  We adopted her from the Humane Society when she was a year old.  We brought her to live with us, to give her a good life, but the truth is that she has given us a good life. 

So for now, she will be pampered, snuggled, belly rubbed, treated to her favorite sandwich cookie treats from Petco and given real meat for dinner.  Most of all, we will love her....forever.

♥

front row seats

a little breathing room after the massive rush of the holidays meant it was time for the annual...

i LOVE going to the movies, watching movies, watching the award shows, etc.  Going to the theater these days costs a small fortune...especially when you're taking the whole fam.  So, we really enjoy Netflix and the On Demand movie channels.  It's so much cozier watching movies on your own couch, snuggled up to your family and four legged furry friends. 

We're not so much a popcorn family, as we are an ice cream family. 

Which leads to the stacks of yummy blankets and pillows. 

These are some of the movies that we've watched over the past month and my review of them {if you're interested}...

Super 8 - loved the 1970's setting of this flick.  Brought me back.  It was scary and entertaining, but the ending was just a little hokey.  big kids loved it.  Didn't let Griff watch it...too scary for him yet.

Dolphin Tale - good family friendly movie.  Not as awesome as Soul Surfer, but a feel good movie nonetheless.  A little over-acting.

I Don't Know How She Does it - eh. 

Adjustment Bureau - crazy premise.  good movie. 

Crazy Stupid Love - i love just about anything Steve Carrell does.  Totally didn't see the curveball they threw at me towards the end of the movie.  katie and i liked it.  Mark did not. 

Arthur - I LOVED the original and was afraid they would ruin it.  they didn't.  i thought it was cute.  Not a huge Russell Brand fan, but i thought he did a good job and had me cheering for him.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Katie and Riley picked this one.  again, crazy premise.  we all know how it ends going into this one. 

We Bought a Zoo - Mark took the kids to see this one, while i went to visit a friend in the hospital.  They all loved it.  I will catch it on Netflix when it comes out for sure.

Next on my list are some movies that are getting Oscar buzz...because its so much more fun to cheer them on when you've seen them!!! {Tree of Life, Moneyball, The Descendents, The Ides of March, WarHorse and The Help} Yes, i'm the only woman on the planet that hasn't see The Help, which is crazy because i read it so long ago and freaked out when i heard they were making the movie.  I'm DYING to see it.  Maybe this weekend...

any other movie recommendations????