GOD is SO Good!

The last 24 hours have been filled with nerves, prayers, tears, worry, and now relief!

My grandmother, the rock of our entire family, had an emergency MRI yesterday due to swelling of her optic nerve. She had been feeling dizzy for about a month as well. My mom (a nurse) has a way of calmly preparing me for the worst and she has never lied to me. She said very plainly, "worst case, this is a tumor".

Not wanting to panic too quickly, we went on about our day. We continued packing for the beach (we leave tomorrow :)) and my sis and I went to get pedicures. The hours dragged on and we found out that we would know the results today. Needless to say I didn't sleep and the only time my head was clear was during my workout (thank goodness for fitness). I prayed constantly, and I will admit, it was a very selfish prayer: "Lord, you can't take my grandma from me, you have to let her be ok". Not my finest Christian moment but I am thankful that the Lord knows my heart and knows what I meant to say.

Sitting in a meeting this morning around 9:30 I got the text from my mom "MRI is Normal!!!!!". Three simple words that put a goofy smile on my face. I almost cheered out loud but somehow contained my composure until later. Called  my mom after the meeting and she said they will give her Prednisone (sp?) eye drops and monitor the swelling. God is SO good, my Grandma is going to be ok!

I have mentioned my Papa numerous times in this blog, because for 13 years, he was my world. But for the past 18 (can't believe he has been gone that long), my grandma has carried this family. She was the one that wasn't as strong. She wasn't the one who spoke up for herself, she was the one who wouldn't make it without Papa. It's funny how God takes those misconceptions and shows you just what he can do! My Grandma's work wasn't done and still isn't done. She is the best Christian example I have and I am truly thankful today that we are not facing a serious medical condition that will take us from her! God really is SO GOOD!!

Me and Grandma on my wedding day :)

Garrett's Grad party

We rely on Grandma for literally everything

Katlyn's Graduation

My Fitness Journey - Weeks 3/4

I am much more positive writing this update than the last one.

As of this morning I have lost 3.3 lbs. And while that is not a huge amount, I can finally start to see progress!

I feel that I have been doing really well with temptation too! This past weekend was July 4th and any holiday with my family involves FOOD. But I packed a cooler filled with fruit, veggies, and grilled chicken and that is what I ate all weekend. I cooked a cake for July 4th/my uncles bday and had one teeny tiny sliver. I feel that one slice of cake every now and then is not going to kill me.

I took a new photo this week. I am not sure if I can see much difference in the picture, but I can feel the difference. I am able to breathe in my dress pants again and there are some clothes that I am able to zip now.

I still have a ways to go but seeing progress has me motivated. I CAN do this and I WILL!!!

Cauliflower Pizza

I think the worse thing to give up on this health food journey is pizza. I love it. There is nothing better than a lazy night of eating pizza (with brownies and wine but they have been easier to give up). So I started looking at cauliflower pizza crust. The pictures on Pinterest made it look so wonderful so I thought, I can do this!

I got the recipe here and it was fairly easy to follow. Except when I didn't :( I have a pizza stone and I used that instead of a metal baking pan. And wax paper instead of parchment paper (if anyone could tell me the difference that would be great). And I thought, because I was using a stone, that I wouldn't need to bake it first. I am not sure why I thought that, I just did. Well something from those three things made the difference because the crust was very doughy and we could not eat it like a pizza.

I will, however, be trying this again because like I said, it wasn't too terribly difficult and was actually fun to make!

Have any of you guys ever tried it? Do you know the key to getting the crust crispy?! I would LOVE to know! :)

My Fitness Journey...week 2

I am extremely discouraged as I am writing this...

After two weeks of minimal carbs and 45 min workouts 6 out of the 7 days...I am right where I was the last time I wrote this blog.

I know it takes time - but I really thought I would have lost at least a lb by now....here is what I have been doing the last 2 weeks:

* Treadmill for 3.5-4 miles 4/5 week days
* Insanity some nights when I feel up to it. Zumba or Insanity on Saturdays
* Eating the exact same thing almost every day:
   - Breakfast: 2 pieces of turkey sausage, 1 egg, 1 carton chocolate milk
   - Lunch: Grilled Chicken breast, fresh fruit, 1/2 Hershey bar with almonds
   - Snack: Apple slices with peanut butter or 1/2 bag of popcorn
   - Dinner: Grilled chicken, brown rice, broccoli
* Drinking over 100 oz of water a day

Some nights I have had salmon and string beans and when I go out I have been making healthier choices (enter grilled chicken salad). I feel better since I have started this two weeks ago, I just wish I could see results! I have been weighing myself every day and on Monday I had lost 2 lbs but now I am back up to what I was last Monday when I started this thing!

I did not write this blog to discourage any of you. I wrote it to motivate myself. I know that I am doing well on this diet and want to push myself to the next level. My next goal is to cut out the Hershey bar and the popcorn. Neither of those things do I really need, it has just been a struggle for me to get rid of sweets entirely! Stay tuned because I plan to update as much as possible. Oh...and this is my official "before" picture. Even though its technically over a month old (May 14).

"Low Platelets, take me first"

After my last blog post, I decided to share the two rare diagnoses I have and how I have been dealing with them...the first is idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura - ITP.

It was the fall of my sophomore year in college. I was unable to get the meningitis vaccine as a freshman because there was a drought in NC. So the sophomores were told they had to get the vaccine by a certain time to stay in school. I don't hate needles, it wasn't a big deal, went to SHS (Student Health Services) and was done in a flash.

About a week later, I was sitting in my room getting ready for my next class, and my nose started bleeding. I had had nose bleeds before so it didn't shock me. Until I couldn't stop the bleeding. Two hours and an ice pack on my nose later it stopped. So I thought all was fine.

I started noticing the bruising shortly there after. The one I noticed the most was a huge black bruise on the inside of my leg, but I am clumsy so again I didn't think anything was wrong. 

Until I went home for the weekend for a friends wedding. Getting dressed in front of my mom (a nurse), her jaw dropped. I was covered in bruises. When she asked where I got them, I was honest when I answered "I don't know". She took me to her office to draw some blood and sent me back to school on Sunday.

Tuesday I get a phone call from her and she told me that my platelets were 13,000. Normal is 140,000-400,000. Still not panicking because really, what does that mean to a 19 year old? I went about my daily life and had an appointment with a hematologist in Roanoke Rapids that Friday.

On the way home, a tire tread fell off the 18-wheeler in front of us. My grandfather had to swerve to miss it....I joked and said "I am going to write on my arm, low platelets, take me first, if we crash". 

At the doctors office I found out that my platelets were now 2,000. Which is the lowest the machine will read, I probably had less. The doctor said that I would be admitted to the hospital that day, and I started to cry. He said "Don't be scared we are going to take good care of you". I said, "I am not scared, I am not going!! I have an organic chemistry test on Monday". He said "Fine, I can't make you go. But if you go back to Chapel Hill today, you will not live until Monday. Your brain will most likely bleed and you will die".  I also told him about the tire tread, he said "You wouldn't have made it". Talk about a harsh reality!! 

At the hospital, I was given all sorts of tests, including a bone marrow aspiration to test for leukemia. Of course I showed off, saying I wouldn't sign the consent. But I did and the test was negative for leukemia. After all the tests were negative, I was diagnosed with ITP, an autoimmune disorder where my body attacks my platelets. I was given MASSIVE amounts of steroids and couldn't take a shower because I was a fall risk!! I was allowed to leave the hospital at 10,000 platelets, and released to go back to school at 100,000. 

Extremely long story short, ITP is probably something I have always had. The meningitis vaccine just set it off.  I was on a high dose of steroids for 6 months and gained 75 lbs. I was very depressed because of the weight and the mood swings the steroids gave me. But once I got off those I returned back to normal and my platelets stayed at a normal level. I am followed by a hematologist once a year. I am no longer allowed to have any vaccines because of the fear that the viruses (whether live or dead) will effect my body negatively. 

It definitely was a trying thing to go through at 19 but I am glad to say I have had no more drops in platelets since that time!! :) 

My Fitness Journey

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have started to write this blog, and deleted everything I wrote. But this time it is going to stick. This time I am going to do it!

I also debated about how much back story I was going to give. I decided on the short version. Since I have been an adult (age 18 - now), I have fluctuated between a size 2 and a size 14. The size 2 was when I was very sick with GI problems and was diagnosed with Gastroparesis and the 14 was when I was sick with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and was on steroids. There may be a blog post about both of those times later.

But now I am a healthy, happy 31 year old woman who has gained 12 lbs and 2 sizes since she got married. I know, to outsiders, I do not look big at all. I know that most people will tell me that I do not have a problem. But I do. I have very unhealthy habits. I love my husband dearly, but I have allowed his unhealthy eating habits influence my decisions. He brings home cookies, candies, ice cream, and brownies - and I have been eating it right along with him. And until recently, had stopped working out. I want to be able to fit into clothes I wore a year ago. I want to like what I see in the mirror. And when I get pregnant, I want to have a healthy foundation for my baby to grown on...

So I started slow...

I began my workout routine (steadily) about 3 weeks ago. Since then, I have run/jogged/walked every weekday morning (we have a gym at work, there really is no excuse). But I have kept eating like there is no tomorrow. But Sunday I decided it was time for a change. I purchased large packs of chicken breasts, brocoli, and brown rice and began my meal prep like I did before I got married. My sister is joining me too (who has gained weight for the exact same reasons I have...) and we will be healthy by the time she leaves this summer.

This is going to be a total lifestyle change for me. I can't go back to what I was doing before, because it was getting out of control (as was my weight). It is going to mean giving up a lot of things I love (pizza, chocolate, my sleep in the mornings), but it going to be so worth it in the end. So check back with me weekly (I will try to remember to post) and join along if you want...or provide encouragement if you have gotten healthy or even have always been healthy!

Putting it down on a blog post has made me really excited for the journey...lets do this!! :)

What is your favorite PIECE OF CLOTHING, ACTOR, ACTRESS, and SINGER?

Piece of Clothing

My authentic cowboy boots from Nashville, TN. They are so comfy, stylish, and every time I wear them I think of that amazing trip!!

Actor

Tom Hanks - there is not a movie of his that I don't like!

Actress

Reese Witherspoon

Singer

Johnny Cash - The Man in Black. He is the last person on my concert bucket list. And you best believe when I get to heaven I will be looking for him and ask him to sing "Jackson" with me! :)

Why growing up really isn't so bad

I have said this before, but some of my fondest childhood memories were spent at my grandparents lake house. This past weekend (Memorial Day), James and I spent the weekend there with my Grandma and family.

I have sometimes looked back on my childhood days with sadness that those days are over. I miss those carefree days of childhood where the biggest problem I had was what bathing suit I was going to wear that day (well that and my finger almost falling off ;)). I hate the fact that my Grandmama's siblings are now all gone and their children/grandchildren are not all as close as we used to be.

But something happened this weekend, that really opened my eyes. We were outside after dinner, playing cornhole, ladder golf, and throwing the football. My little cousin Brooke had brought her radio out and we were listening to music and dancing around acting silly. I started to realize something in all the fun and laughter - I am starting the new generation with my family. My mom and her siblings have now taken the place of my Grandmama's siblings. Pretty soon, James and I will be starting a family of our own and our children will take my place. My dad and uncle were out there playing right along with us, so clearly they will be the next "Papa" of our family.

While growing up definitely means change, I am learning that this change is going to be great. I cannot wait to see my children experience the lake house and life in this big, crazy, wonderful family of ours.

What is your favorite BOYS NAME, GIRLS NAME, FOOD, and DRINK?!

Name (for a boy and girl)...

It used to be Jackson for a boy and Brooklyn for a girl. But now that we are actually at the point where we are thinking about having kids, the game has changed. I still like those names but I am wondering if there is something else out there. So before I am even pregnant, we are having the name discussion. Who knows, our kids may be named Jackson and Brooklyn but they may not...stay tuned! :)

Food

Well, I like all of it!! But my absolute favorite is my Grandma's fried chicken. I like fried chicken from other places, but my Grandma's is the absolute best! I am very blessed to have a Grandma that at almost 85 years old still cooks fried chicken for anyone of her kids or grandkids anytime they ask. She definitely shows her love through the kitchen, and we are all lucky to have such a woman in our lives.

Drink

Without a doubt - Diet Pepsi. Not a diet soda, specifically Diet Pepsi. I have recently given up soda's in my quest to be healthier and I CRAVE a Diet Pepsi all the time. I allow myself to have one every now and then because I love it so much. It is the truth when they say you can be addicted to soda's!!

I know I have been very slack on these lately but I hope to get better and finish this list before too long! :)

Love Other's Box

Two posts in one day?! After taking a month long hiatus this is a treat!

I wanted to share with you something that my friend and former coworker is doing, it was just announced today. It simply amazing and I am so excited for her launch.

Please go check out her blog post for today! It is a great idea and no one deserves it more than her! :) 

Thanks! 

Planning Our Disney Vacation - Part 2

At 180 days from  the start of your trip, guests staying at a Disney Resort can book dining reservations for the whole week you are there. Knowing there were some pretty special places we wanted to eat, we wanted to go ahead and get these booked right away. James has never been to Disney and I wanted to eat at places I hadn't before, but with all the choices, that was not going to be a problem!

The first thing we had to do was decide what park we were going to and when. We decided to skip Animal Kingdom this year. We are already going to the NC Zoo sometime this summer, and with all that we wanted to do in Disney (and have some downtime too), we decided that will be a park for another trip. We also chose not to pay the extra money for a park-hopper pass (where you can visit multiple parks in one day) so that meant we had to eat at the park we chose for that day, or a nearby resort. That is another great thing about the Disney Dining Plan, not only are the park restaurants included, but all resort restaurants are too! NOTE: Some are "signature" dining and require two table service meals, but if you plan correctly its totally doable.

I have mentioned before that dining begins the day you arrive, and ends at midnight the day you leave. We plan to leave super early and we plan to be in Disney by mid-afternoon and we figured we would just find a resort with a quick service meal available, and maybe ride the monorail around the parks. For this we chose the Contempo Cafe in the Contemporary Resort. I am so excited to show James this resort, because the monorail goes through this hotel! My Papa had always said he would take us back to Disney and the next time we'd stay there. One of these days I will stay there!!

Sunday we will be at Magic Kingdom. My favorite of all the parks. I am so excited to see the new Fantasy Land! In fact, we will be eating at Be Our Guest Restaurant for lunch. This is in Belle's castle. For dinner, we will be eating at Tony's Town Square Restaurant for 2 reasons. 1) Its our anniversary and Lady in the Tramp has lots of memories for us 2) the porch of Tony's is prime viewing spot for the Main Street Electrical Parade.

Monday we will be at Sea World. I know that some "Disney Fanatics" think that a trip to Sea World is a waste of time. But James and I both love visiting anywhere with sea animals and plus there is a whole penguin experience (I am obsessed with penguins). So we will eat breakfast at the hotel (quick service) and dinner at Captains Grille and the Yacht and Beach Club Resort. This was James' pick. He loves a good steak and he saw this restaurant as one of the choices. It will be a first for both of us so I am excited to check it out!

Tuesday we will be at Hollywood Studios. Not sure what our quick service / lunch will be but we are doing the Fantasmic Dining Package so that we will have prime seats for the Fantasmic Evening Show. Our dinner reservations are at Mama Melrose, an American Italian Restaurant. The last time I was at Hollywood Studios we were too busy to eat anywhere so this will be a treat!

Wednesday is Epcot and we don't have any reservations that day. This is because when I called, the person on the phone got the dates confused and our reservation for the Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room did not take. We chose this place because you can sit outside and have a great view of Illuminations, Epcot's firework show (see a pattern here ;)) When I called to get this fixed, I was told there were no more reservations but if I went and explained at the front desk what happened, they would be sure to seat us, as we were only a party of 2.

Thursday is our rest day. And I think we will need it!! We will be attending Mickey's Backyard BBQ at the Fort Wilderness Resort that evening. This meal requires 2 table service meals per person, but since we aren't eating a table service meal on Saturday, we should be fine.

Friday we are going to the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (read about that here). We will get to the park at 4pm that day, and have reservations at Cinderella's Royal Palace at 515 pm. This also is 2 table service meals per person, but since we leave the next day we will only eat a quick service that day. We will probably resort hop in the afternoon to find a place to eat for lunch.

Saturday we are leaving :( Again, we might resort hop one last time, eat at our hotel, or in Downtown Disney.

I will be sure to write reviews on all the places we go and eat once we get back. I can't believe we still have 5 more months to wait :(

Life Happens...recap of the past month!!

I realized today that it has been over a month since I have even logged into this blog, let alone wrote anything!

When I started this blog I was sure I would write all the time. And I did. I was sure I would have ideas of what I wanted to say. I still do. But what I didn't factor in was LIFE. And how crazy, beautiful, and BUSY it was!

So what have I been doing over the last month?! Take a look...

 Enjoying the weather with my pup

 FINALLY getting our yard to a decent state!

 Dates with the cutest niece ever! 

 Relay for Life

 Happy Birthday to ME!! 

 Tried a duck face...it didn't work! 

Porch sitting and reading with my pup

So I am going to really REALLY try to write more. But life isn't slowing down anytime soon. The summer concert season starts next weekend, then we have more birthday's, Mother's/Father's Day, and more weddings. I am trying to soak it all in because it goes by WAY too fast.

Easter Weekend Recap

Another holiday weekend is in the books for the Winstead's, and what a weekend it was!!

Max (our 8 year old Dachshund) hurt his back 2 weeks ago when he was staying with my parents. Last Saturday James took him to the vet and they gave him muscle relaxers and Tramadol. But by Friday, he was no better and had stopped eating (and subsequently pooping). This upset me because all the dogs that I have known to stop eating, have passed away a week later. So Friday was spent at the vet again. They took X-Rays and determined that he has "Intervertebral Disc Disease" where the discs in his spine have deteriorated to the point where his bones are rubbing together. Two hours later, we left there with refills on the previous meds, plus a nerve medicine, steroids, and a stool softener. I told James Saturday morning as we were preparing his numerous medications, that this was our practice before we have children!!

Max and I at the vet :(

Saturday I got up and went to Zumba! It was quite an accomplishment since I spent the whole hour I was awake before making up excuses not to go. But I bit the bullet and went...even got some free DVDs out of the deal. James' coworker got married Saturday afternoon so we spent the afternoon and evening there with friends. It was a beautiful wedding and a great time, made me miss it and want to do mine over again! :)

 The photographer and one of my best friends <3

The Happy Couple

Sunday, of course, was Easter. We went to the 9:45 am service at Horne Memorial United Methodist Church in Clayton. That was our 2nd time. I know I had thought I had found our church before, but James wasn't completely sold. James really likes the contemporary service and I like this church so we really may have found our church this time. We then headed to Roanoke Rapids for a big Easter lunch with my mom's family. As we all stood in a circle to say grace, I realized just how lucky I am. My family may be "Two Gallons of Crazy in a One Gallon Bucket"...but at the end of the day we all love each other and are there for each other. We took my little cousin back to Raleigh (NC State) then just hung out the rest of the night.

It was a super busy weekend and even though I am crazy tired today (and should have taken a day off of work), I wouldn't trade a bit of it.

PS: Max is feeling better with the steroids, which makes it impossible to keep him still. He has started eating a little bit now so he is on the road to recovery! :) <3

Planning Our Disney Vacation - Part 1

I have mentioned (if only briefly) that I am a HUGE Disney fan. I have been this way all my life. My husband, unfortunately is not. He has gotten better over our 4 years together, but to say that he is a fanatic would be lying.

I had always dreamed of a honeymoon at Disney World (as well as a proposal and wedding there, but I digress). But when you meet the love of your life and actually start planning a wedding and a honeymoon - you don't only just think of what you want (shocking I know). James really really wanted to go on a cruise, and as a compromise, we were going to take a Disney Cruise. Unfortunately the only one departing was on our wedding day...so that was out. Liking the idea of a cruise too, we settled on a Carnival Cruise (which was amazing don't get me wrong) and said Disney would be our 1 year anniversary trip.

So here we are. Six months away from our anniversary- planning a trip to Disney.

Now James doesn't really plan for anything, and I plan for everything (opposites attract, right?) But the one thing we knew was that we would not go into debt over this trip. Living the Dave Ramsey lifestyle is very important to us, so we booked the trip in January, to have plenty of time to pay before it was due in August.

Having gone with my aunts family 4 years ago, I knew (somewhat) how to plan this thing. I knew that we wanted to stay on-site and I knew that we wanted a meal plan.

Reasons:
*Convenience: we can park our car on Saturday, and not drive it again until Saturday. Also, we don't have to carry around any cash (when you stay at the park, you can pay for your purchases using your room key). We will still carry cash/debit cards in case of emergencies but that's it.
*Cheaper: I noticed this when I went in 2011, because it was $94 per person, per day for everything (food, tickets, room). However, it is cheaper per person per day the more people that are going. But it does save us money having a meal plan. I have been reading on the exact figures here, and what places to eat to make sure we get the most out of our money.
*Magic Park Hours: Staying on site you have an opportunity to go to the park earlier or stay later on certain days. It may be for only an hour or two, but it is still worth it in my opinion.

For the dining plan, I think the best value is the basic: 1 Table Service (sit down), 1 Quick Service (fast food), and 1 snack a day. There is no way we would eat as much food as the deluxe dining plan pays for, and we would want some sit down meals, so basic was the perfect choice. NOTE: Your meal plans start the morning of your check in and expire at midnight on your check out, so you get an extra day in there. Another reason the basic is really all you need (unless you are a total foodie, which we are not).

We also decided to stay at a value resort. There are three levels: value, moderate, and deluxe. We chose value because we will not be spending that much time at the resort, and even the value ones are nicer than some hotels we have stayed at. One day, we will stay at the Contemporary (deluxe resort) but for right now - value is fine with us!

We chose to only go to the parks for 4 days. With James not being a Disney fanatic and wanting to also go to Sea World one day - I figured 4 days was enough. In 2011, we did 7 days, and by the 7th we were all worn slam out!

So we had it all planned out: Staying on site, at a value resort, eating the basic meal plan, and heading to the parks for 4 days. I booked in January 2nd, and paying a little each pay period, we had it paid off March 13. So now the fun part begins...starting this Saturday, we will be able to see when the parks are open for Magic Park Hours, and I will be able to plan what parks we go to what day. We have to have this mapped out by April 13 because that is when we are able to start making reservations for the restaurants! (& somehow I left this very important event OFF my April goals! :))

Where have I been?! March Recap & April Goals...

Yes, I am still alive.

But seriously March was a whirlwind month, especially the last 2 weeks. But we made it through and enjoyed (almost) every minute of it.

I am not even sure I completed even ONE of my March Goals. That is exactly how crazy this month was. But instead of harping on things I did not get done...I am going to focus on the things I did do:

*Game Night with my former co-worker and her husband. It was a lot of fun. I cooked my dip specialties (which I will have to share in another post), we played games, and then watched the Carolina-Duke game. The outcome of that game was the only bad part about that night!
*Date Night seeing Cinderella in IMAX complete with dinner at Gravy in downtown Raleigh. It is my new favorite place! :)
*We visited a new church in Clayton and we LOVED it. We will be going to this church on Easter Sunday. It has the best of both worlds, it is Methodist which is similar to Presbyterian (the church I grew up in) but has a contemporary service that James likes as well.
*I began working out again (semi) regularly. I have been taking classes at Clayton fitness and for the past 2 weeks I have been going to the gym at work in the mornings. I am finally getting to my goal of getting fit in 2015
*My cousin, her husband, and my ADORABLE niece Evelyn came to visit our house for the first time. We bought the house in June but with the weddings and babies, this is the first time they were able to come over. It was a blast! (& fueled my baby fever ;))
*Pulled off an amazing party for my Aunt and Uncle's 25th wedding anniversary. My mom said it best when she said that they had amazing role models. My Grandma and Papa were married for 49 years before my Papa died. My moms brother and his wife have been married for 43, my parents are working on 35, and we just celebrated Michelle and Chris' 25th anniversary! We (my husband and I) are fortunate that we have these role models to pattern ourselves after!

So now on to April...

*Finish the Thank You Notes. Seriously. Someone kick me into gear with these.
*Replace Guest Bedroom Dresser
*Finalize items for massive Yard Sale happening on May 2nd
*Blog more..sheesh I was terrible at this in March
*Work out 4 of the 7 days of the week.
*Plan a cellphone free date night

April will be just as busy as March with a lot of events going on...there is Easter this weekend and a wedding for James' buddy. Then the Roanoke Valley Relay for Life is April 18 (celebrating my mama who is an 8 year breast cancer survivor!) and the girls' dance recital is the next weekend. My Birthday is also April 22 and I will definitely be doing some celebrating! :) So if I slip and do not blog as much in April, you will know why!

What is your favorite THING ABOUT YOURSELF and AGE?

Favorite Thing About Yourself...

My favorite thing about myself is my positive attitude 99.9% of the time. This hasn't always been the case. As a teenager, I moped around the house and was grumpy the majority of the time. I am not sure what changed, but as I got older I realized, life is way too short to be in a bad mood all of the time. So with that, my attitude changed and I now am positive most of the time. I get excited very easily. Almost everything amuses me. And yes, I wake up like this. My husband often will ask on a Saturday morning "Why are you so happy?" I just laugh and try to get him to my good mood! I am not always positive. I do have my bad days. In fact, because I am so bubbly and outgoing and smiling all the time; when I do have a bad day, people notice. People ask me am I ok and tell me that I do not look like myself. I think that says a lot for my personality and I hope that my attitude is infectious sometimes.

Along this line - I am my own biggest fan. Which I think everyone (especially women) should be! People are always so down on themselves physically, and even I am guilty of that. But I think every one should have one thing they LOVE about their bodies. And while I am unhappy with the way my body looks now (post wedding weight gain) there are 3 things I absolutely LOVE...1) eyes 2) smile 3) bellybutton. That 3rd one may seem kind of silly but I really like my bellybutton and that goes to show you, no matter how silly - find something you LOVE about yourself! :)

Age...

I used to say if I could go back to any age it would be 22, until I turned 30. I have LOVED being 30. I don't know why people make a big deal about it and act like they are dying because it is great!! I still have most of the same friends I did in my twenties, and we still do the fun things we used to (granted, the parties end a little sooner theses days ;)). Some one made a comment to me about being "too old" to get a mega-ticket (1 ticket for 11 Country Music concerts at a amphitheater in Raleigh), but that is just dumb. If I like it, why not get it?! (Plus I am in a better position financially to buy it now than before!) There are all kinds of lists out there for things that women shouldn't do/wear/say/own in their 30's, I think they are a load of CRAP! Be who you want to be, love yourself. You will have to have thick skin (belly shirts in the carpool lane will make you the talk of the PTA for sure) but I dont like when people put an age on fun.

So back to the original question...30 is my favorite age, so far. :)

I would love to hear what your favorite thing about yourself is, I think its so good to share that stuff with others (and your favorite age too if you want!:))

Lent and Social Media

We are over half way through Lent right now. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter in which Christians remember the sacrifices Christ made on our behalf. Some demonimations (mainly Catholic) practice giving something up for Lent. Usually, the thing you give up is something that is keeping you from Christ and the time you spend with the thing you gave up, you should spend in prayer.

I don't do this every year, mainly because it is not commonly practiced in my denomination (Presbyterian) but last year I decided to give up social media. I had realized that I had become almost addicted to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I checked it on my phone at least 20 times a day. It was getting ridiculous. So I decided to give it up, cold turkey. The first 2-3 weeks were really, really hard. I kept thinking to myself, what if something happens and I dont know about it? And how will my "friends" know what is going on in my life?! I almost had a panic attack from being "unconnected". I'd like to tell you that everytime I felt this way, I turned to God in prayer. Well I didn't. I did find myself praying more during this time, but I am not sure if that was because I needed God's guidence as we looked for a house or not! Towards the end of Lent it was easier, and I found myself enjoying the moment instead of sharing it with the world.

On Easter Sunday, I got right back on Social Media and was a bit ashamed of myself. I was right back in the thick of things, reading statuses, looking at pictures, sharing posts. So when Lent came around this year, I thought of doing the same thing. But time got away from me and I never deactivated it. I felt pretty bad about myself, that I was so wrapped up in social media that I forgot when Lent started. Then the last few weeks happened...

I have a friend who is in the process of adopting a little girl. Her and her husband have been this little girls mama and daddy for two years, but now they are having to fight to keep her. She posted on Facebook the need for prayers, that their struggle was about to get tougher - so I prayed.

My former boss at the first company I worked for posted something about her job. After messaging her I found out that hers was one of 53 positions eliminated the day before, and that two more former coworkers were affected. Having lived through a layoff I knew what they were going through - so I prayed.

Another high school friend has been in the NICU for 12 weeks with her daughter who was born at 23 weeks at 1 lb 6 oz. She had twins but one of them passed away the day she was born. Her daughter is now 1 oz shy of 4 lbs and drank 32 cc of a bottle last week. I can't even imagine the emotions she goes through on a daily basis, but I am so glad she is sharing her story. I can't help her any other way - so I prayed.

Social media can be a very ugly thing. People use it as a platform to say hurtful things about others. But last week I realized that social media can be a great thing. These three women are not what I consider "best" friends of mine. We are all friends, but we probably would have lost touch if it hadn't been for social media. Becuase they chose to share there stories, I and others have been able to pray for them.

So I won't be giving up social media again any time soon. Among all the crazies out there, are my friends, who share stories about their lives and struggles, and read about mine. And if we can offer an encouraging word to one another and most importantly pray for each other - then social media is not so bad after all.

(And no, I never gave anything up for Lent)

What is your favorite SMELL, GENRE of MUSIC, ACTIVITY, and COLOR?

Favorite Smell:

Gain. Seriously. Everything in our house is Gain scented. Detergent, fabric softener, air freshener, wax warmer, and now all purpose cleaner...that is the BEST smell in the world. And when the house is freshly clean and smells like Gain, I am almost certain that is what Heaven is like! :)

Favorite Genre of Music:

Well...refer back to the very first blog post for that one: COUNTRY MUSIC. It is to the point now where I dont listen to anything else. Which makes me ridiculously old sounding and feeling when a pop song comes on. And btw, Taylor Swift is not country.

Favorite Activity:

Photography. I had to really think on this one. Singing is a big one and so is hanging out with my family. I also like to go to the beach/lake on warm sunny days. And traveling with my husband and UNC Basketball. But when it really comes down to it, I would be no where without my camera and the thousands of pictures I have taken with them. My best friend Courtney and I were taking selfies long before that was a thing! At every family function, you will find me with the camera. I think the reason for that is because I am so sentimental, I always want to have pictures to look back at and remember happy times!

Favorite Color:

Also a tough one. I have many. Coral and Gray (for my wedding), Carolina Blue, Yellow (for my Papa), and Navy. Currently, Navy is my absolute fave. But talk to me tomorrow, becuase that may change!

Next up is favorite thing about yourself....stay tuned!! :)

What is your favorite MEMORY?

My favorite memory is my childhood summers at the lake. My Grandma and Papa and her sister and husband (Doodie and Monk) built a lake house on Lake Gaston in 1985. So literally every summer in my memory was spent at this house. I would love going up there, me and my cousins would play from sun up to sun down, and then after dinner, the adults would play a card game called canasta. I learned that game at a very young age.

One of my favorite memories is a time when my cousin Kris and I were playing a canasta game against my Papa and cousin Joe. We were very young and wanted to "go wild" a play where you bet all you have on the chance to have 7 wild cards. We were struggling and my Papa felt bad for us, so he said "son, I'd try to put something on the board instead of worrying about going wild so much". I knew we were doomed, when it was Kris' turn, I said "We're doing pretty bad aren't we?" and he said "Not if we are going out we're not". Not only had we "gone wild", we had used all our cards and went out, leaving Papa and Joe holding a handful of cards!

I actually almost lost my ring finger because of my cousin Kris. We were playing house and we got married, so he tied a rubber band on my finger. My finger was solid black by the time we went to the lake to swim and luckily we did so that our moms would see it and yank the band off. So I still have all 10 of my fingers! :)

We still go to the lake house today. Although my Grandma is the only surviving member of the original four owners, our families have grown and there is a new generation of children to make memories here. I hope that this house is around for my children, because it is there that I feel the closest to my Papa, and I know that if my children are able to grow up here, they will feel close to him too :)

My all time favorite picture at the lake

Me, styling on the pier with my pigtails and lifejacket 

One of my little cousins on the pier...safety first! :)

 Apparently, all the fun I had that day wore me out!

 James has even been in on the fun

Brookie and me

 Craziness runs in our family

 Sending balloons to heaven for Papa's birthday at Garrett's graduation party.

He is always with us!

What is your favorite memory? Is it tied to a time, person, or place? How do you keep this memory alive??