Settling in... One day at a time...

This Thursday will be one month that we have lived in Texas. Today, it feels like we've been here a lot longer thsn that. We are settling in. We still have boxes to unpack, pictures to hang, a house to clean. We went back to Louisiana this past weekend, hoping to finish up cleaning out the house there & get it ready to go on the market. I thought we'd hold onto that house, just in case things didn't work out here & we needed to move back. But after being over here in Texas, I'm realizing I don't ever want to go back! I love the people, the neighborhood & our house. I really don't ever want to see the Louisiana house again. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I went through my darkest & ugliest depression season as an adult in that house. I never want to live there again. My mother in law blessed us while we were there by offering to do a few repairs & some minor updating to get the house ready to sell. She's hoping to get it listed for sale within the next two weeks. I hope so, too. The faster we can get that house off of our backs, the simpler life will be!

Don't Check Your Brains At the Door by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler

This was my first experience reading a book by Josh McDowell. It was a quick and easy read. My almost 13 year old boy also read this book. I enjoyed the scripture references, but honestly thought the chapters were too short. I would read a chapter and think, that's it? The book really left me hungry for more. It was broken up really well into different categories: Myths About God, Myths About Jesus, Myths About the Bible, Myths About the Resurrection, Myths About Religion & Christianity and Myths About Life & Happiness. I loved the categories, but I really wish there had been more information. I thought my almost 13 year old would learn a lot by reading the book, but most of the information he had already been taught. I wish I could recommend this book to others, but I really wouldn't recommend it. I don't think I would read it a second time, either. I was ready to finish it about 30 pages into it.

I am thankful for the opportunity to review this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson! Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Daddy Dates by Greg Wright

Daddy Dates by Greg Wright is a wonderful book for anyone(a mother or father) that wants to raise a strong, confident daughter. I was given the chance to read this book by Booksneeze and am so thankful for the opportunity! I laughed, I cried and I've tucked away a lot of helpful information about raising girls. We have 3 daughters, so I think the information will come in handy! The book was written really well, almost like Greg was sitting across from you at the coffee shop and was explaining what worked for him and his family. It is a book that I wish I could buy a copy for everyone of our friends that has daughters. I believe it could make a ton of difference in a young girls self esteem if fathers simply followed the principles in this book. He talks about spending time doing things that your daughters enjoy doing. He doesn't suggest simply quality time, but time doing an activity they enjoy and actually talking to them. I lost my Daddy when I was a preteen, but I had a wonderful relationship with him, because he took time to talk to me. We went on walks and talked and did things I wanted to do. It was not all about him. This book has really made me examine my parenting and I hope it helps me be a better parent.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that has a daughter, no matter if she's 1 or 21! This book was received from Thomas Nelson Press in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

There's a stranger in my house...

The lyrics to this song really don't fit, but the title explains a little about how I feel these days. We moved on July 3rd to the Dallas, TX area. The job change was somewhat sudden, but Ernie had been over here working for 2 months before we found a house that we fell in love with and made the big move. It's only a 5 hour drive, but it's still a HUGE change for our family. Ernie was born in our home city and I'd been there for most of my life and all of our family is there, so moving was pretty scary. So, we made the move. I love my house. I love the yard. I love the city. It's beautiful here and everything I need is within just a few minutes. We are in a suburb northeast of Dallas and I love it!!! Shopping is all a lot closer than it was at home in Louisiana. I really didn't expect that at all. I think we've already found a home church. I've found a ladies Bible study and tonight I found a Celebrate Recovery group. I think God has us exactly where He wants us, but I feel restless. I don't feel like me for some crazy reason. I look around my house and wonder why am I here? Everything feels very different. Maybe it's just because it's a big change. It's scary being in an area where I know no one. But at the same time I am excited about starting a new chapter in my life. Hopefully a chapter where I will figure out exactly who I am and what my gifts are. I would love to know where I am needed in this world. I know I'm needed as a wife and a mother, but outside of that, I'd love to find something that I excel at. I think getting out from under our family's guidance is really going to help us in the long run. I think I'm going to figure out exactly who I am over here. I feel so much more alive(when I'm not feeling totally overwhelmed) and so much happier over here. I'm not feeling suffocated and rejected, because the family members I love are either too in our business or pushing us away because we aren't doing what they think we are doing. We are slowly getting unpacked, one box at a time. The kids bedrooms and the living room look the best out of every room of the house, but the other rooms are coming along, when Elayna lets me put her down! She's started standing up holding on to the backs of my legs, which means I don't get much done because I can't move! All in all, I love this area. My kids love it here. We haven't met many people, yet, but they are loving the people that they have met. It's going to take some adjusting on my part, but I think we are going to be so much happier here on the whole, than we were in Louisiana!

How to Be God's Little Princess by Sheila Walsh

I requested this book, intending to read it with my 10 year old and she could not wait for me to read it with her. She devoured the book in a day or two and had answered most of the quizzes in the book. If you have ever had any questions about etiquette, manners, poise, modesty, friendships, etc., then this is a great book to read! I loved that there was scripture tied into the book. It is very encouraging and a wonderful book. I found it very fitting for my 10 year old. Even with the book being pink and Princess in the title, I do think it is very appropriate for older girls. How to Be God's Little Princess sparked a lot of conversation between my daughter and me and I loved it! I wish I had had a book like this to read when I was her age. I think it would have kept me out of a lot of awkward situations. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with 9, 10 or 11 year old daughters.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

My goals for the 100 Day Chip Quest

There is a group I follow on Twitter, started by Brad Gansberg. It is full of supportive people that are trying to better themselves. They are all very encouraging and motivating! There is a 7 Day Chip and a 30 Day Chip where you decide what you are going to work on for 7 or 30 days. I have tried to earn a chip by not binge eating. Today, they are starting a 100 Day Chip Quest. I need something that will really challenge me and I think this is the perfect thing! It will go through June 30th. I need it for accountability and love the support and encouragement this group brings!

These are my goals for the next 100 Days:

1. Drink at least 100oz of water every day. Some days this is a piece of cake. Some days it's a struggle to drink 8oz.

2. No cokes of any kind. I cut out regular coke in January, but now it's time to cut out the occasional diet coke. I will still drink some tea. I love my tea!

3. Track every single thing I eat and drink. I am really struggling with tracking every bite. If it's something I shouldn't eat, I don't want to track it!

4. Exercise at least 5 days per week. Whether it's a class, walking the track or strength training, I want some activity at least 5 days per week. One of those days must fall on the weekend. I am not going to take two rest days in a row.

5. Read the Bible and do a devotion every single day. Dig deep and really open up in my step study and not fear what others might think about me. I need to work on some issues and it's a great safe place to work on them.

These are my goals. It's going to be a great 100 days, but I'm nervous at the same time. These things are challenging for me, but I should be able to handle them!

2011 is the year for challenges...

So, I love challenges, but have not been looking for them for the past several years. I'd gotten lazy. I was letting life pass me by without getting in on the fun. That's going to stop! So far this year, I've joined a group at a friend's church that's called Fit in 8. It's an 8 week bootcamp type group. There are 4 instructors from various gyms, one of which happens to be the best Body Combat instructor I've ever seen, and they work us out. There is strength training, cardio and a little bit of yoga. It's been very interesting so far! We are half way through the challenge and I'm really starting to dread seeing it end. I struggled with going yesterday. I had a major attitude problem yesterday and struggled with everything! I was so glad I got out and did it, though. I had a great time and I felt so much better afterwards. I haven't been getting enough sleep this week. It's messed up a lot of things! That was my first challenge I willingly joined this year, but it has pushed me to look for other challenges. For the month of March, I joined a group called Go the Distance. I pledged to walk 50 miles and strength train at least 3 days a week. That sounds fairly simple to me. Then yesterday, I came across a challenge to do 300 lunges a week for 3 months. I was a week late joining them, so I've got some catching up to do, but I'm going to catch up and succeed! I HATE, HATE, HATE lunges! I know they are so good for me, though!

This is a year to put forth some effort. To regain control over my eating and emotions. I read a tweet a few days ago that said so so effort yields so so results. That is why I haven't succeeded the last few times I've done weight watchers. I've been putting in so so effort. I had a bad habit of binging for two or three days and hoping that mostly eating good the other days of the week would give me a good weigh in. Well, it didn't happen. It might have worked occasionally, but not overall. I'm done with half hearted weight loss efforts. I am giving it my all.