Waving "fall" this way...

<-------GOOO GATORS! I was so sweaty- poor G and Albert.

<----hot hubby and our cutie pie after the race- notice the non-sweat on these cheaters (read on).

Fall in Florida really just means a much needed break from the 90 degree weather and give us some low 80's and we're busting out the fall leaves, pumpkins and long sleeve shirts with flip flops.

This is my FAVORITE time of the year. While I love the beach, although not as much as I did when I could wear a bikini and actually take my clothes off to get some sun (haha)- I love the comfort that fall seems to exude.

My fall activities this year include:

1. training for a half-marathon (huh?!! yeah i can't believe it either)

2. my 30TH (I mean first anniversary of my 29th) B'DAY

3. lots of other birthdays and parties

4. fall festival(s) and arts festivals

5. GATOR FOOTBALL

6. trying to figure out what to put on my living room wall, it's big and blank right now and i hate it!

Half-marathon training began (somewhat officially) last week for me. I am doing the LifeSouth Five Points of Life Half for the second time in February (did it back in 2008). I'm going by THIS schedule (somewhat loosely in that i change what i do sometimes to work with whatever is going on that week and i have more like 16-17 weeks to train as opposed to 12 like it calls for). Sticking to long runs on Sunday mornings with others who are doing the run- namely my friend KW who managed to (easily) talk me in to doing this torture. :)

Part of my training last week included doing the Heart Walk 3.2 miler (not sure why they made it 3.2 instead of 5k??). The neat part was that the husband did it too with G in the jogger! Well- uh, half of it. Cheaters turned around at the half-way point when they saw me headed back.

Update on that wild idea to become debt free:

Grocery budget is going pretty well- still some slip ups when we realize we didn't plan menus too well OR decide to change our minds.

Saying "no" is sometimes hard to do- can't do EVERYTHING we'd like to do.

Craigslist and consigment shops are my friends both in selling and purchasing. Trying to make sales before considering purchases.

Cash flow is the best flow--if you 'aint got the cash- you 'aint gettin it (whatever "it" may be).

Did I already mention THIS WEBSITE? You can follow me HERE on Pinterest. Love this website- what a neat idea.

Cheers to Monday and a good week---extra cheers to highs in the low 80's here this weekend!!

end of summer (yeah right) fun and masochistic tendencies

Hmm...what a title for a blog post- not sure what you're about to read?

Summer fun (there is almost no end to summer in Florida- or so it seems when I'm pining for variety in our seasons):

We are going scalloping this weekend- YAY! I haven't done this in about 10 years. We're joining up with some family for the weekend and I can't wait. Pictures will follow, not promising anything professional (hoping to go purchase a disposable water camera).

Masochism: I have recently been intrigued by a friend to do a HALF-MARATHON. People- that is 13.1 MILES of your own steam. I've done this once before (before pregnancy and baby and extra weight..etc.) and vowed I would never- ever- need to do it again. Well fast-forward three years and Momma needs some motivation and a personal goal to work towards.

So..I haven't said yes quite yet but am strongly leaning towards it. I have 4.5 months to train, so it might be doable. I'll just be cursing myself the whole time. ;)

Oh- have YOU been to THIS website yet? www.pinterest.com

Definitely easy to get lost and addicted to this site. You have to join it (no cost) to add your own boards, images, etc. I've gotten some great ideas from there so far on LOTS of different things.

Ciao! I'm on the countdown to getting off early today ;)

9/11 Never forgotten

10 years ago, really? American soil under attack- such significance to this. I can imagine it will stick in my memory much like those who were alive when Pearl Harbor (1941) was under attack will remember that tragedy; both resulting in a war.

I was an undergrad student working part-time at the same medical office where my Mom worked. Mom was not at work that day but down the hill at the same medical park at an opthalmologist appointment with her father who was having eye surgery (who fought in WWII in the airforce following Pearl Harbor attack). I worked at the front desk checking people in and could see the footage on the t.v. in our reception area. I remember it all being surreal and- living in Florida- feeling somewhat oddly removed but scared at the same time.

I walked down to the opthalmologist clinic to make sure my Mom knew what was going on. They had seen the coverage on the t.v. in the reception room they were in. I could see the fear on my Mom's face- her thoughts were about what would happen next, because my brother was in the Navy at this point. Now that I have a child- I can only imagine the thoughts that went through my Mom's mind. She NEVER would go see the movie Pearl Harbor because my brother was military (not to mention stationed twice in Honolulu).

This WHOLE memory is part of my BEFORE/AFTER category of memories. This was BEFORE my Mom passed away. While this whole event is a sad one, it actually holds some positive value in my mind because it involves my Mom being alive. I am happy that she was there during such a time of uncertainty.

Fast forward 10 years later to today. LOTS have occurred both on personal and a national levels in 10 years, yet watching the footage from the day of the attacks is still very frightening and sad. One of the most alarming parts of that day that I think I purposefully pushed out of my mind was the fact that some people in the towers chose to jump to their deaths rather than burn to death. Being reminded of this is just as jarring as the day of all the footage.

Those lives lost and all effected by this horrible, senseless tragedy will never be forgotten. I am thankful for those who have provided service both as civilians (firefighters, law enforcement, medical personnel, etc.) and those in the military for our freedom and helping us on a daily basis.

Water table fun

frugality and grocery shopping

Let's talk grocery shopping

Do you:
1. thoughtfully plan out your shopping expedition?

2. bring coupons?

3. shop with cash only?

4. budget?

5. take your own bags?

6. shop at will or 1x or 2x, etc. monthly?

7. Get all of your groceries at one shop (or like meat one place; produce separately)?



What is the method to your madness in this category of life?


Presently we have cracked down on our monthly grocery budget and are going to try cash only grocery shopping this month. We have reusable bags but need to make more of an effort to use these on a consistent basis. We get mostly everything except (most) produce at the same grocery store. YES we try to take as many coupons as is allowed and that we can find but you will not find an extreme couponer in our household. The husband is actually pretty good at finding coupons on ebay (who knew?) for diapers, dogfood and some other items.


We are toying with the idea of doing a weekly grocery trip because it seems we've always left something out. This could probably be combatted with meal planning. Something we've done before but gotten away from (hmmm...might do this again).


Kudos to these blogs that are all about saving money in the food/grocery area of life:


http://frugalfreezermom.blogspot.com/


http://moneysavingmom.com/

http://www.iheartpublix.com/

So- if you are reading this and have a minute; tell me about your grocery habits, tips and tricks.

:) Yay- only a 4 day week and to top it off---Gator football this weekend!

Proverbs 3:5: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all things seek Him and He will make your paths straight.

That part about "do no lean on your own understanding," ugh- that's tough. I fail at that time and again.

Being quiet/still and waiting are two difficult things for my personality as well as in today's (American) general culture.

What is this all about?

I'd rather not spill (all of) my guts and personal business on this blog but it has something to do with trajectories in me and my families' personal life. So, if you pray- please pray that we can be filled with patience, trust and steadfastness in the Lord and that it will be less than painful ;)


As for G- poor little guy had been a kumodo dragon with drool and very fussy with lots of pain from all FOUR canines piercing through at the same time for the past two.5 weeks. Both a benefit and a bit draining- he has been more Mama-dependent and snuggly (even though that sometimes didn't even comfort him). BUT- it seems we have turned a corner this week and he's coming out of the teething fog (for now). My happy-go-lucky little man is back in town!

Gavin has LOTS OF HAIR, like ever since he was in-utero (and the whole heart burn thing didn't ring true for me). I finally bought a pair of scissors appropriate for cutting hair and conservatively gave my boy a cut this week. I was thinking in my head the whole time---cut less than you think you want to...we don't want to end up with the cut my Cricket doll did back in the 80's.
It looks fine- no scarey chopped off or crooked bangs= success!

My little guy is growing up fast, we actually laugh together at silly things now. I often miss the days of quiet nursing times and that locked-eye, milk-induced stare that entrances both Mommy and baby.

Here's a cute poem that every new Mom should be given- enjoy your baby and let the other stuff just BE for now:

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth, Empty the dustpan, poison the moth, Hang out the washing, make up the bed, Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking? She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue, Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo. Dishes are waiting and bills are past due. Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo.

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue? Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'till tomorrow But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow. So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep! I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

my boy got "promoted"

I forgot to mention in my previous post that Gavin got promoted at daycare this week from sleeping in a pack n play to the nap mat. I can't lie I was so skeptical that this would work and was expecting to have a whiney, overly tired toddler on my hands because I thought he would not be happy with Mrs. Stephanie or me for suggesting he sleep on this thing.

Well- I was wrong, the picture clearly illustrates that ;) He has done well this whole week so far.

Thanks Mrs. Stephanie- you are an awesome caregiver to my son and I stole your picture. :)