Category — Mom Monday

I really enjoy scrapbooking our family’s memories. I just never seem to be able to make the time to keep up to date with it! But, that is one of my 30 by 30 goals and I am determined to finally get caught up. I have some of 2010 & 2011 done but am no where near finished and it’s 5 months into 2012. I also wanted to make Thomas a first year book just for him. You could say I had a “little” catching up to do.

I decided to do a digital book for Thomas’ first year s so that I could get it done quickly. I started it several months ago and had everything DONE except for a birthday party page and putting in the date of his first steps Thomas took FOREVER to take a step but I finally got to order it last week. I was so excited when we got home from gymnastics today and the book was waiting on the front porch.  I think it’s pretty good for my first digital book and I’m looking forward to making more in the future.

I designed and ordered it from Mixbook and am very pleased with how easy it was to use and how great it looks. It’s not inexpensive but it’s not any more expensive than buying all the scrapbook supplies I would have needed. Plus, I bought a Groupon for it a while back and got $50 for $15! I’m going to be on the lookout for more Groupon deals and they seem to always be having some kind of promotion.

You can also share the book that you created – check it out!

| Learn About Mixbook Photo Books | Create your own Photo Book

On Saturday, April 21, I ran in the Chickamauga Chase 15K. A 15K is 9.3 miles and it was actually a really fun distance to run. I wasn’t able to “train” as well as I wanted due to a little sickness and only got up to 6 miles before race day. But, I guess I’m proof that if you can run 6 miles you can run 9. I kept a steady pace, walked a couple of times and finished in under 2 hours and not last which was my goal! My chip time was 1:46:16.

Mandy and I before the race.

Crossing the Finish Line (with Kauri)!

An added bonus – I get to mark another item off my 30 by 30 list!! I actually have a couple of updates for the list.

1. Run a 10K
2. Run a 15K (Chickamauga Chase 4/21/12)
3. Run a 1/2 Marathon
4. Take a West Coast road trip
5. Own a mini-van
6. Become a foster parent
7. Makeover kitchen
8. Clogging Performance
9. Read through the Bible chronologically
10. Get up to date with scrapbooking (Finished & ordered Thomas’ 1st year book!)
11. Do Project Life (2013)
12. Be a guest blogger
13. Wear earrings at least 5 times
14. Host Dixon Family Christmas
15. Lose my “muffin top”
16. Plant a garden
17. Take family to NYC
18. Go to New Orleans
19. Take boys to the county fair
20. Read 10 books for fun (The Pastor’s Wife by Jennifer Allee/ On the Run, In Plain Sight & Invisible by Lorena McCourtney/ Daughter of Joy by Kathleen Morgan)
21. Shoot a gun
22. Read 1,000 Gifts and record my own
23. Buy at least 1 Pinterest inspired outfit
24. Learn how to use camera in manual mode
25. Make a loaf of bread
26. Do a Sprint Triathlon
27. See 4 movies at the theater (The Hunger Games 4/4/12)
28. Go on a “girls weekend”  (3/30/12 – 4/1/12)
29. Read 4 books to learn
30. Go 1 week without eating fast food or at a restaurant

Do you ever completely lose perspective? I do. Often.

I am not absolutely sure how it happens but it’s a slow, gradual decline into self absorption. And it’s ugly. The things that consume me aren’t necessarily bad – my boys, fun activities, cute clothes, tinkering with the house, and the list goes on – but they should not be my entire focus in life.

Thankfully, the Holy Spirit usually gets my attention before it gets too ugly. I am always struggling with what I am suppose to be doing to make a difference. How am I suppose to live so that my every day is glorifying God? How am I suppose to use my resources to help those in need? How am I living out my faith so that my boys can see?

What do you do to make sure your perspective isn’t off? How do you live each day to God’s glory? How do you use what God has entrusted you with to help others?

Brandi, Lindsey, Amy, Brittany, Me & Will

You may remember that back in October I started going to a clogging class on Tuesday nights. I graduated from the beginner class several weeks ago and tonight I performed in my first clogging “demo.” We clogged at The Lantern (an Alzheimer’s care facility) in Collegedale and there was a good group – about 11 people. I didn’t do too terribly although there’s a lot of room for improvement! The boys came with me and Bill had to take Thomas out about 1/2 way through because he was screaming crying because he wanted me (and it was about 150 degrees in there!)

It was a fun night!

Photo by: Rachel Nichols

I got to spend last weekend with 12 of my newest friends. And it was a blast! The girls from our small group left ALL 26 of our kids with their daddies & grandparents and spend the entire weekend talking, eating, talking, shopping & talking. We even squeezed in a baby shower while we were there. It was a really fun weekend and I hope they don’t wait 2 years to do it again

And a double bonus – I get to mark my first item off the 30 by 30 list!

1. Run a 10K
2. Run a 15K
3. Run a 1/2 Marathon
4. Take a West Coast road trip
5. Own a mini-van
6. Become a foster parent
7. Makeover kitchen
8. Clogging Performance
9. Read through the Bible chronologically
10. Get up to date with scrapbooking
11. Do Project Life (2013)
12. Be a guest blogger
13. Wear earrings at least 5 times
14. Host Dixon Family Christmas
15. Lose my “muffin top”
16. Plant a garden
17. Take family to NYC
18. Go to New Orleans
19. Take boys to the county fair
20. Read 10 books for fun
21. Shoot a gun
22. Read 1,000 Gifts and record my own
23. Buy at least 1 Pinterest inspired outfit
24. Learn how to use camera in manual mode
25. Make a loaf of bread
26. Do a Sprint Triathlon
27. See 4 movies at the theater
28. Go on a “girls weekend”  (3/30/12 – 4/1/12)
29. Read 4 books to learn
30. Go 1 week without eating fast food or at a restaurant

I have a little over 2 years before I turn 30 (gasp!) and I thought it would be fun to have a list of 30 things that I would like to do before then. Some of them will be easy and some of them will take a little effort, time and money. I am going to try to get them all done before I turn 30 but I know for sure the West Coast road trip will probably be after since we’re planning on doing that for our 10th anniversary!

1. Run a 10K
2. Run a 15K
3. Run a 1/2 Marathon
4. Take a West Coast road trip
5. Own a mini-van
6. Become a foster parent
7. Makeover kitchen
8. Clogging Performance
9. Read through the Bible chronologically
10. Get up to date with scrapbooking
11. Do Project Life (2013)
12. Be a guest blogger
13. Wear earrings at least 5 times
14. Host Dixon Family Christmas
15. Lose my “muffin top”
16. Plant a garden
17. Take family to NYC
18. Go to New Orleans
19. Take boys to the county fair
20. Read 10 books for fun
21. Shoot a gun
22. Read 1,000 Gifts and record my own
23. Buy at least 1 Pinterest inspired outfit
24. Learn how to use camera in manual mode
25. Make a loaf of bread
26. Do a Sprint Triathlon
27. See 4 movies at the theater
28. Go on a “girls weekend”
29. Read 4 books to learn
30. Go 1 week without eating fast food or at a restaurant

So, what are some things you would like to do in the next couple of weeks, months, years? Anything exciting?

I don’t know about you, but it takes me about a million years to get back to “normal” after being on vacation. We got back from Disney World 5 days ago and I still don’t have all the laundry clean. It doesn’t help that the boys have been practically out of control today! They’re not really being disobedient but after 5 days of doing whatever we want whenever we want it’s hard to come back and have to get dressed when you’re suppose to, go places you don’t want to go and not get to watch TV just whenever you want to.

Having said that {that’s for you, Mom} I’m excited to upload our Disney World pictures and tell you all about our magical time! There’s truly nothing like taking someone Will’s age to Disney World. He is so in love with all the characters {because he’s old enough to know who they are but not old enough to realize they’re not real} and the smiles when he got to meet them are ridiculous.

{I have a lot on my mind recently so these ideas might flesh themselves out over several Mom Monday’s. I assure you that I’m not sulking around depressed or miserable – but I’m learning some hard and serious lessons.}

For most of my life I’ve been pretty good at pretending to be sinless. You probably know how it goes, you hear a sermon, speaker or radio program on sin and repentance then they ask you what you need to repent of and you think, “I’m so glad I don’t have any sin that I need to confess and repent.” Seriously! I should have been dropping to my knees and repenting of arrogance and pride.

I’ve been guilty {a lot of times} of  “quenching” the Holy Spirit and not allowing the power of God to continually transform my life. I’ve lied to myself saying that I’m “good enough” because I’m not committing any kind of  “bad” sin { you know,like murder!} But being a Christ follower is not about being good enough; it’s about continually seeking holiness.

And then God starts revealing parts of you that are a big batch of ugly. Honestly, when God started revealing these things I have in my heart and how they were affecting my every day life I was pretty disgusted with myself.

Isn’t it great {sarcasm} when God starts working you over and you just want to pretend that it’s not really an issue and then every bible study lesson, every sermon and every radio program you hear has to do with the EXACT issue you’re trying to deny is not a problem for you! You know those heartburn commercial where the food starts slapping the people in the face? That’s kind of what I felt Scripture was doing t0 me. While it is SO painful to go through – it’s glorious on the other side.

Aren’t you SO thankful that our God does not allow us to stay wallowing in sin and death. And that not only does He not allow us to stay there but He calls us out into light and eternal life – the complete opposite!

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. I Peter 2:9 (NIV)