The Campbell Corner

We Have Blueberries!

2009-07-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

We've gotten more blueberries since this picture was taken but this was our first "harvest".

The picture above is of our three blueberry bushes. The boys have had fun picking and it is so nice to experience success in keeping the bunnies and birds away this year.

One of my Favorite Flowers

2009-07-11T00:01:00.001-04:00

My Hydrangea. This plant was given to me for Mother's Day after Barber was born. He was a mere 4 weeks old. I'm sure that has something to do with how much I like it. I think one of the other reasons is because of the vibrant colors - with varying shades of pink and purple (my favorite!). Here are some of my favorite pics...I'm having fun with my camera too.

I find it so amazing that all of those variations are on a single plant. You probably find it amazing that something so simple gives me so much pleasure.

Warning - more simple pleasures are pending.

So I've Been Reading...

2009-07-09T16:20:00.002-04:00

...and LOVING IT!!!

Of course that means I haven't been blogging lately. Well, I can't blame that entirely on my reading. I've also been enjoying our backyard, and playing with the boys and taking them to the park and to the reading program and working on MIA stuff - planning and preparing for next season.

But, I have been enjoying reading again. If you recall, when we went on vacation in March I had read one book and began another. I had vowed to complete that book by the end of April. Never happened.

Honestly I didn't pick up another book until we were on vacation the first week of June. That book was one that I had won at a women's event two years ago. I'll admit this sad truth - it sat on my nightstand for two years collecting dust. The book was The Negotiator by Dee Henderson. It's fiction and the storyline is filled with a good combination of action, suspense and mystery to not only keep my interest but I didn't want to put the book down. Granted, as a Mommy, I don't typically have that as an option but Simms gave me a bit of time that was my own and I used it to read.

Since then - which has really only been about one month, I have finished the book from March (River Rising by Athol Dickson) and read 4 other books. I learned that The Negotiator is part of a series and there was a prequel to the book - Danger in the Shadows. I read that after River Rising. I had also picked up the book Secret Believers by Brother Andrew and learned so much. I highly recommend this book to any believer. It is fiction but based on truth and is so relevant to the spiritual climate today. Since then, I admit I have continued to fervently read Henderson's O'Malley series - reading The Guardian and The Truth Seeker. I think Simms is ready for me to take a break. LOL.

So...what have you been reading this summer?

You are My Masterpiece

2009-07-02T00:01:00.000-04:00

If you haven't seen this yet...take the time.

The first time I saw this was at a women's meeting at our church. The message of Julie Meyer's song Paint your Picture coupled with Eileen's artistry is powerful.

Real Life Daddy - part two

2009-06-19T00:01:00.002-04:00

This is a continuation of Simms thoughts regarding Fatherhood. You can read the first part here.

Part II – Teach your son how to do things but allow your son the freedom to be his own person and do things in his own way.

It is important for us to teach our sons all that we have learned over the many years that we have lived on this earth. It can build a bond between you and your son that is strong and that will last a lifetime. If done correctly, your son will cherish your opinions for years to come. As a little boy he will turn to you for guidance and direction. As the years go by your father/son relationship will become one of mutual respect and admiration. Your son will come back to you and bounce certain ideas off of you and to discuss his personal life lessons learned.

However, we Dads must be careful during the early years. We must remember that the “right way” or the “best way” to do things is not always the way in which we would do them. This is also not an easy thing to do. We all want our children to learn from our mistakes so that they don’t have to walk through them. We want to spare our children the “pain” of having to start from scratch and therefore we want them to be able to start a few rungs higher on the life ladder than we did. However, the reality is we also want our young sons to do it right the first time. We have many things that we need to get accomplished and might simply lose our patience as the day drags on and we are getting less and less done (See Part I). However, if we only teach our children how “we” as Dads do things and we stress the importance of doing it the “right way” all the time, we run the risk of losing the big picture.

The big picture is that we train our children so that they can make their own smart decisions later in life when they are out in the world as grown young men. In order to do that then, they need to be able to make mistakes and learn from them now. If our children are so concerned that they are going to make a mistake or do something the “wrong way”, we then have hindered our children. Our sons will grow up trying to duplicate their Dad’s experience rather than admire their Dads efforts and applying it to their own experience. Our sons will grow up trying to constantly gain their father’s approval rather than knowing they already have it and that we are proud of them no matter what the outcome is.

Please don’t hear what I am not saying. There are times during the early years that there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. For example, pee goes in the toilet and should not be used to write your name on the floor or the wall. That is definitely a right way / wrong way situation! However, take hitting a baseball as an example. Just because I hold the bat a certain way and it gave me great success when I was young doesn’t mean that a certain grip on the bat is the only way that my son will have success. I can offer suggestions based upon my experience but I have to allow him the opportunity to figure certain things out on his own for him to have success.

This brings me back to Part I. Not only do you have to take time with your son but you have to learn to laugh and enjoy every moment. We can get so caught up with the lessons of life and making sure that our children are succeeding that we forget that life should also be fun.

It is hard to laugh sometimes. For example, you might have family or friends coming over and the house is cleaned up nice and you realize that your son has just come running in the house because he is so excited to show you the rainbow that is outside. You realize that it is has been raining and that his feet are completely soaked and muddy. Everything inside of you wants to explode because your schedule has been seriously altered. Or you might want to simply sit your son down right away and explain why running into the house with muddy feet is probably not the right thing to do. Although that lesson certainly should be taught, you have to ask yourself when the best time to teach that lesson is. If your son looks at you with all the innocence and excitement in the world and says, “Daddy, you have to come see the rainbow that God has put in the sky.” You have to decide in that fraction of a second if that moment is a moment to share in the excitement and the joy and the smiles with your son or not. Do you instantly scold your son for his youthful exuberance and lack of discernment and clean up the mess and miss out on the joy that could have been? I can tell you that is not always an easy decision. I have messed it up more times than I care to admit. I have reacted out of practicality and logic on numerous occasions only later think to myself that I missed out on a golden fun activity. Fortunately, there is usually another moment just around the corner that I can redeem myself.

Well, I think I have rambled on for long enough. My piece of knowledge that I share with you is to take time to laugh and enjoy every minute you have with your son while teaching your son how to do things and allowing your son the freedom to be his own person and do things in his own way. I know that with God’s help we all can be great Dads. With God’s voice giving you direction as you venture on this new journey in life, you too will be a great Dad.

I don't know about you but this makes me want to give my Daddy an extra big hug this weekend!

Real Life Daddy

2009-06-18T00:01:00.001-04:00

A few months ago, Simms was asked to write down some thoughts to welcome a friend to fatherhood. I thought what he expressed was so powerful that I asked if he would please let me post it. Thankfully he agreed. The timing of celebrating Dad's this Sunday seemed to be the perfect opportunity to share. (please note that names have been changed)

Wow what a journey you are about to embark on! When I was asked to provide you with some fatherly information, I wasn’t sure what I was going to write about. No one has ever asked me to expound on what it means to be a father. There are so many topics that one could discuss. When or if you ever want to grab some coffee to open the can of worms just let me know where and when. However, for this journal I guess I will provide you with the one thing that has become most apparent to me recently. Ready? Here it is…

Part I - Take time to laugh and enjoy every minute you have with your son.

I know, I know…You are thinking that is the most profound thing you have ever heard, right? Yeah, you’re actually probably thinking (although you would never actually say it)…“Duh that is basic parenting 101” or “Yeah, I have heard that one before. Thanks Simms!” I understand. I had the same thoughts. I mean I always assumed I would be a great Dad. I love kids. I love playing with kids. Kids typically love me. I can actually remember someone giving me similar advice. I also remember reading similar words in parenting books as I prepared for Jeter to be born. I knew that I would be involved in my child’s world and that I would help coach him, direct him and guide him through life’s many lessons. The one thing that nobody ever told me was that this “simple” step of parenting is not very simple at all but rather one of the most difficult things to do.

What? How can laughing and enjoying time with your son be difficult? Isn’t it the most natural thing in the world to do? Spence, I love you too much to not be real with you. Let’s take a look at the first two words in my profound statement, “Take time”. Taking the time to spend with your child is not easy. Oh sure, it is easy to want to take time (although some days are easier than others) but not so easy to actually take the time. When you figure that the majority of your day is consumed with your occupation and the fact that your child will more than likely go to bed sometime in the early evening, only leaves a precious couple of hours during the day to spend with your son. Also, just when you think that you have a few hours to laugh and play with your son you realize that the rest of the world refuses to stop spinning just because you have a child.

The lawn still needs to be cut, the dishes still need to be done, errands still need to be run, etc. etc. etc. You might be thinking that these are activities that can be done with a child. You are correct. Just keep in mind that every project, chore or errand you do with your child will typically take twice as long as before. Be prepared to get half as much completed as you used to while teaching your son how to cut the lawn, wash the dishes, etc.

By the way, do you know why it takes twice as long to complete something? One very simple reason…questions? Daddy, can I jump on your back? Daddy, can you be my horsey? Daddy, can I drink water from that puddle? Daddy, where do boogers come from? Daddy why do boogers taste salty? Daddy, why are you doing that? Daddy, what does this tool do? Daddy, can I help you?... And there it is.

That is the bottom line. Your son will think that you know everything and will want to spend as much time with you as possible. You are his hero! So, as hard as it may be to spend time with your son on certain days, sacrifice how you are feeling at that moment and do whatever you can in the early years to let him jump on your back and ride you around the yard. Take the extra time to teach your son all that you know. No topic is too simple or too complex. Every thing you do in life is a lesson to be learned and observed by your son. However, while you are doing this keep the following Part II in the forefront of your mind.

Stay tuned for Part II...

This Bloomin' Spring

2009-06-14T01:22:00.000-04:00

I was enjoying these...

...and these.

I cannot believe the blooms have already passed. Can I blame it on the crazy weather we've been having??? Thankfully, I get to see these beautiful blooms all summer long!

I was just checking out my hydrangea. There is evidence of some beautiful blooms to come! Small things really do put a smile on my face.

Yummy Goodness

2009-06-12T01:18:00.000-04:00

There is just nothing like homemade ice cream cake. Jeter selected Mint Chocolate Chip and Cookies and Cream as his two flavors. Quite delish! I definitely made an exception to avoiding sweets and enjoyed a slice of this for his birthday.

So...did you get your milk?

2009-06-10T01:16:00.000-04:00

You might not have won the giveaway, but did you go to one of the stops on the got milk? Drink Well. Live Well Tour? I did and it was a lot of fun.

Who wouldn't enjoy a free neck massage, a chance to win some great prizes, a free banana smoothie, getting your own milk mustache picture, and of course FREE MILK?

My sis and I enjoyed ourselves with our kiddos Brady and Barber. If you missed it this year, keep your eyes peeled for the opportunity in the future. Definitely a lot of fun.

Union28

2009-06-07T00:47:00.000-04:00

Remember back in February when I talked about my love for dark chocolate? The tees, not the sweets! If you don't, you can always check out that post but meanwhile, I have some news for you. Here's a hint:

Same Company, Same Products, Same Mission...NEW NAME!

Why UNION28? Let me break it down for you...

Union: Marriage is a sacred Union.

2: Marriage is an exclusive relationship between 2 - a husband and his wife.

8: ("forever") Marriage is marked by commitment and steadfastness.

That's not all...there is also a new website. New Name = New Website.

How do you access such fine attire? Click on the link or use the following url's: http://www.union28.net/, http://www.myhusbandrocks.net/, or http://mywiferocks.net/. And if you forget and go to the old site, it will bring you to the new one.

While you are there, you might want to check out the new design for the older boys and girls in your life. You know the ones that think they are too old to call you "mommy" or "daddy" anymore? That's okay. They can still let the world know that their "mom" or "dad" rocks with these great new tees.

Spring Beauties

2009-05-29T17:06:00.002-04:00

These are some of the spring beauties that grace our property. I had fun changing the settings on my camera, attempting to capture some of my favorite iris'.

There are more spring flowers throughout the property. Some I didn't capture and the blooms have passed. I'm planning on snapping some more and might just post some of my favorite pics.

What are some of your favorite spring flowers or shrubs?

Creating a Room to Grow With Your Child

2009-05-27T09:42:00.005-04:00

In today’s baby and kids furniture market, it’s all about incorporating a collection of multifunctional pieces that will last a handful of years during childhood. Not only will this make for a stylish nursery, playroom, or children’s bedroom but it will also save a significant amount of money in your wallet that can be saved for other family essentials. When you’re in the process of furnishing your child’s nursery, consider a bassinet that doubles as a crib or a baby crib that turns into a toddler bed with a few simple adjustments. In addition, low-standing children’s dressers can serve as the perfect spot for attaching a changing table pad for when you need to change diapers. Not only is this a cost-effective nursery room option, but it also can save you a great deal of space in the room’s overall layout.

Children’s furniture made of a solid wood construction is a safe and reliable option for any nursery and is guaranteed to last you longer than furniture made from a cheaper material. Once you have established a versatile collection of durable furniture, it’s time to think of a lasting décor theme that will look wonderful and inspire your children everyday. Just as with clothes, food, toys, and accessories, kids have the tendency to grow out of items as they grow in age. When you begin to think of décor, consider themes that can cover a wide age range of children in order to ensure that your decorating investment will go a long way. Modern prints and removable decals are hot ticket items for nursery décor this year as they offer a trendy alternative to painted murals and wall art.

In addition to user-friendly wall decals, invest in a colorful rug that will tie your children’s room theme together. Adding a patterned or vibrantly colored area rug underneath a baby crib or playroom arts and crafts table will draw focus to the room and serve as a comfortable spot for your children to play on the floor all day long. Creative flooring manufacturers such as FLOR allow you to create an inspirational rug of your own with their assortment of square rug tiles. This will allow you to use your own creativity to accommodate an existing nursery style and to change up the design you’re looking for if you do decide to switch up the room’ décor theme in the future.

This article was written by Suzanne Turnbull who also writes for Born Modern Baby. I appreciate the concept of investing in decor that will grow with my child as we are currently in process of doing just that with Barber's room and will begin the same process for Jeter's room this summer. I promise to post pics as we continue this endeavor!

Oral-B Giveaway Winner

2009-05-25T00:01:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to annouce the winner for the Oral-B giveaway. Entry #7 won! Congratulations Dawson. Thank you for emailing me your contact information.

To everyone else...Happy Memorial Day.

The Evolution of The Spotted-pillar

2009-05-24T00:02:00.000-04:00

Have you not heard of The Spotted-pillar before? No worries - you wouldn't have unless you were able to read the mind of my 7 year old who concocted this wonderful insect. Here is what he has been busy creating for his school project this week. Wonder where he gets this talent from. He must have a good teacher. LOL. All joking aside, I am very proud of the work that he has done and I think he created a very yummy 3-D representation of his insect.

The plan...because you cannot create without first having a plan.

Reading the instructions.

Cracking the eggs. He was so excited to finally succeed in this task!

Coloring the icing - which he also made by himself.

The head has been iced. Now he is working on the thorax.

Finally tackling the abdomen.

The stripes are now added. He was getting really excited at this point.

Making the spots - which he determined was much easier than the stripes.

Spots are completed!

Adding the final touches...

I almost want to call the exterminator!

Interviewed at 5 Minutes for Mom!

2009-05-23T00:02:00.000-04:00

Do you ever mark an email as unread with the full intention of returning to that email when you have more time? I do this. More than I'd like to admit. It's usually because I know I only have about 5 minutes to glance over the message and attempt to give an adequate reply. If more time is needed then it has to wait until later. Sometime later is that night but sometimes it lingers in "marked unread" mode for a week, month or longer. Usually the length of time is proportional to the priority of the message. Usually.

Recently I came across an email that I received a while ago and my schedule has finally allowed me to give it the due attention.

You see, I was interviewed at 5 minutes for mom which you are welcome to check out - when you have time of course.

I think I had the most difficulty deciding which button to use for this blog. LOL.

I Smell Spring

2009-05-22T00:01:00.001-04:00

These are one of my favorite Spring fragrances. We have white, lavender and dark purple lilacs. Simms and the boys surprised me with a fresh bouquet from our backyard.

Smiling kiddos lovin' their mama and fresh fragrance in the kitchen. Priceless.

Somebody Loves Me!

2009-05-21T00:01:00.000-04:00

Isn't that simply beautiful? Papa came to visit us and watch the boys play baseball. He also surprised me with a beautiful boquet of roses as an early Mother's Day gift. (Late posting...I know)

I just had to take some pictures. I do love flowers. I don't like that they don't last forever.

My countertop was graced by these beauties for days!

The Project Continues...

2009-05-20T00:01:00.000-04:00

I don't have any true before pictures but here are some of the changes that we've made to Barber's room (a work that is still in progress)

Note the dresser. Can you tell the color doesn't match. It blended nicely when the walls were suede and the room was a teddy bear themed nursery. That will be painted white sometime this summer.

This is the chocolate wall - with a bit of a glare. Another dresser that needs to be painted white. It used to be my dad's when he was a little boy - all wood then. Somehow over the years it was painted this nasty green color. Simms started to strip the paint. I'm going to just sand it down and then paint it white. There are actually doors that go on top and hide the three pull out drawers. Those drawers were never painted green and I'm not going to paint them white either.

The colors we selected for Barber's room are based on the comforter set he has. You can see the pillow shams in the above photo.

This photo is a bit dark...it's actually the same blue as the first photo.

Here is our tricolor wall. I just love this wall if it is possible to actually love a wall. This is actually a type of before photo and below is the after...

Tricolor wall with the collage. We still have to get a photo to replace the sailboat. Meanwhile, Barber gets to pick what photos he wants on his wall. Some may stay forever but others will change over time.

This is one that I believe will stay forever...

Whoever Heard of an Oreo Racetrack?!

2009-05-19T00:01:00.000-04:00

Can you guess what we did this weekend? We celebrated Barber's 5th birthday with friends and family. He wanted a cake that looked like a racetrack. Here is what I came up with.

Of course his favorite driver, Jimmy Johnson, had to win the race!

Simms spray-painted a race track in the backyard. The boys had a blast running laps!

got milk? Winner!

2009-05-18T08:50:00.005-04:00

Barber was my helper again...drum roll please...

...and the winner is Livin' Life! How many times do you enter a giveaway as the first entry and think that you will never win? I know I have. Not this time. Funny thing is that Barber said "I want to pick #5". Why? I think it is because he just turned five years old last month. The fun of a random drawing is that you don't know who will win.

Thank you to all of you who entered. Keep your eyes peeled because I have another giveaway that will be posting later today!

32

2009-05-17T00:01:00.000-04:00

How many teeth do you have?

This is a question that the boys ask me at least twice a year. Why? Because one of the things that our dentist does is count their teeth. They then know that they have 20 teeth and want to know how many teeth their Mommy has. I have 32 - which is four more than most adults because I have all four of my wisdom teeth (you probably had yours pulled, right?).

I then take time to remind them that it doesn't really matter how many teeth are in your mouth but how you care for the ones that you have. Thankfully, they are very good about brushing their teeth every night - we are working on greater consistency for every morning as well. Jeter has also begun to floss more regularly - very important since he has 6 permanent teeth now. Barber is a bit more resistant to the whole thing - complaining that two minutes is just t-o-o l-o-n-g to brush. We've used the egg timer that we purchased at the dentists office but I'm thinking of employing a tip or two that I recently received from Oral-B - specifically finding a song that can become their getting ready for bed song. The difficulty will be finding one that they will actually brush their teeth rather then stop and sing. It might also be good to find a song that qualifies as getting ready for the day to be used in the morning.

Here are some other great tips from Oral-B:

Brush your teeth with your child to set a good example. This also helps your child to learn by watching and imitating you.
Choose toothbrushes and toothpaste with popular kids’ characters, like Oral-B Stages, to help establish positive oral care routines with familiar friends like Winnie the Pooh or Disney Princesses.
Sing your child’s favorite song, such as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” for two minutes to encourage brushing for the dentist-recommended time. For older children, play a song from their favorite pop singer for two minutes.
Making your child’s brushing routine fun will encourage proper habits early and help prevent oral care issues later in life.
For more information please visit, www.oralb.com/kidscare.

The second tip deals with choosing the right toothbrush for your child. Have you ever wondered if there is really a significant difference between the toothbrushes? I know I have.

The video below was taken at a blogger event in New York at a fun, kid-friendly venue and features some great information from Dr. Laura Jana, M.D., author and founder of Practical Parenting Consulting, LLC – she is also mother of three. I encourage you to take time to watch it. It helped me to understand the differences between the toothbrushes that are made for children and determine what toothbrush I need for each of my boys. Guess what has been added to my shopping list?

A Peak into Barber's Heart

2009-05-14T08:43:00.005-04:00

Radiant Worship was at our church last night. The concert was in the youth building but everyone was invited on Sunday so I decided to go. Simms had plans with Jeter so I was planning on bringing Barber.

I talked to him about it after preschool and decided to show him videos from their website. He immediately wanted to see the video below. After watching it one time he asked if he could see it again. Before doing so, I asked him if he understood what was transpiring in the video. This is what he told me:

Yes. There was this boy who kind of knew Jesus but didn't really celebrate him. He was a teenager who was in school and all. But then he prayed and began to celebrate Jesus. Then he told another boy about Jesus and he celebrated Jesus too. He was the teenager with his hat backwards. Then he told someone and they celebrated Jesus too and they all kept doing that until there was a lot of them celebrating Jesus!

Yup...he got it. At this point I still did not realize the full impact this had on him.

Before dinner I asked Barber to get his sneakers on so we would be ready to walk out the door after we ate. He disappeared upstairs and I continued to prepare dinner.

We were ready to eat and called Barber to the table. He came down and I noticed his feet were still sneakerless. I asked him where his sneakers were and Simms interjected that they were in his car. Okay...

We ate and were preparing to leave when Barber asked "Mommy, do you want to know what I was doing in my room before?" I answered with a "yes" and he then both told and showed me.

I was worshipping. I was doing this (he stood with his arms outstretched, eyes closed and kind of moving his arms back and forth) like the boy with the hat backwards and then I was doing this (he knelt on the floor bowing to the ground) like the first boy who decided to celebrate Jesus.

Needless to say this Mama was dually blessed last night. It was wonderful to participate in corporate worship with Radiant Worship but no words can express how blessed I was to see my 5 year old give glory to God with his words and actions - singing, raising his hands and even dancing.

If that wasn't enough, on the way home Barber asked me if we could do this together every time. He also asked if Jeter didn't already have something scheduled, could we bring him too. Obviously I said yes to both of these questions. Finally he declared "When I am a teenager I am going to do that too mom. I am going to do concerts like they (Radiant Worship) do." He then allowed his eyes to close and fell asleep on the way home.

got milk? Giveaway

2009-05-12T10:27:00.005-04:00

We do. It is a staple in our household. I am not one of those Mama's that has to twist their child's arm to drink 8 oz. of milk. No...I try to regulate the milk so that we are not going through more than 1/2 gallon of it each day!

As you know Simms and I have been working on establishing healthy habits with our eating and exercise. Obviously there have been food selections that have needed to be cut out of our diet. I'm happy to say that milk is not one of them.

I've recently learned that The got milk? Mustache Mobile Drink Well. Live Well. Tour has been traveling to 75 cities across the country trying to encourage residents to incorporate health and wellness back into their lives! Did you know that when milk is incorporated into your diet, you are receiving nine essential nutrients that are needed every day. And at only about 25 cents per glass, milk offers more nutrition for your dollar than virtually any other beverage you can buy.

That definitely is good reason for a happy dance!

But it gets better than that...did you know that The got milk? Drink Well. Live Well Tour is cruising through Pennsylvania?!? They will be hosting a handful of free events and I know when and where! Oh...would you like me to tell you about them? I would be happy to.

Saturday, May 30
12-2pm
Mutzabaugh’s Market
3 Friendly Drive
Duncannon, PA 17020

Sunday, May 31
11am-1pm
Dutch Wonderland
2249 Lincoln Highway East
Lancaster, PA 17602

Kick-Off event!
Monday, June 1
11am-2pm
Hershey’s Chocolate World
251 Park Boulevard
Hershey, PA 17033

Tuesday, June 2
5pm-7pm
Kmart
5050 Jonestown Rd.
Harrisburg, PA 17112

Because of our crazy spring schedule, I am only able to go to the event at Hershey's Chocolate World. Maybe you could join me or select one of the other days to join in on the fun?

Here's another way to join in on the fun...I have a GIVEAWAY!!!

Everything in the above photo will be sent to one of YOU! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. Please make sure that you include a valid email. Monday, May 18th, I will close the comments and select a winner.

Health and Wellness - Take Two

2009-05-11T10:07:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted an update on my health and wellness for awhile. Not because it isn't still in the forefront of my mind but because an adjustment had to be made.

Simms and I were doing really well and achieving our goals prior to our cruise. Then we came back to reality and stuff changed. Our desire for good healthy habits hadn't changed but our schedule did change and we needed to adjust.

What changed you ask?

Daylight Savings - this means our sunlight lasts longer.
Spring sprung!
Baseball season for the boys was in full swing.

So...how did these changes effect our schedule? Previously we would exercise right after putting the boys to bed which was between 7:30 and 8:00 PM. Not anymore. We now have baseball Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. On a good night the boys are in bed by 8:30 PM. Unfortunately on some game nights they aren't tucked in and given the final kiss good-night until 9:00 PM. Let's say we have a "free" night...then Simms (with good reason) wants to use that time to mow the lawn and trim the trees or some other spring project that needs his attention.

The last straw was when Simms told me that he was going to fit in exercise in the morning with a bike ride. I felt like I was losing my accountability partner and started to plummet downward...gaining a few pounds back in the process.

Good news is that an adjustment has been made and I am now in accountability with two gals. Our general goal is "To incorporate healthy eating and exercise in daily life and decision making". We have now started our third week and it feels good - yes there are some aches but those pains are evidence of the good that we are doing for our health and wellness. I still miss exercising with Simms but like I said, we had to adapt to the new season.

I'll continue to post updates on my progress.

Also...heads up for a few upcoming giveaways - one that deals with your daily health and wellness!

Singing Here I Am with Downhere

2009-05-08T00:01:00.000-04:00

Take 5 and listen to this song. The group is called Downhere and I really like them a lot. Great lyrics and I enjoy their harmonies. The video is from one of their concerts so it is a little difficult to hear all the words or even appreciate their talent - and you know me, I'm all about the meaning of the lyrics - so I've posted them below. This album might be a great gift for a mom you might know...hint hint nudge nudge wink wink say no more say no more...lol. Oh...and if the video and lyrics intrigue you enough, check out Downhere's official website where you can sample their album Ending is Beginning.

Here I Am
from the Downhere album "Ending is Beginning"

Sometimes your calling comes in dream
Sometimes it comes in the Spirit's breeze
You reach for the deepest hope in me
And call out for the things of eternity

But I'm a man of dust and stains
You move in me so I can say...

Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life I make an offering
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of your plan
Here I am

When setbacks and failures and upset plans
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands
Are you not the closest when it's hardest to stand?
I know that you will finish what you began

And these broken parts you redeem
Become the song that I can sing...

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I'll fail You in the end
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces
I can't put this together but You can