Good bye 2013: Hello 2014!

Last year, right before New Year's Day I decided to create a bucket list.  Not before I kick the bucket, but before the year 2013 kicked the bucket.  It was my first bucket list and I have to say that I loved it!  It kept me focused on the year and getting things done that I wanted to accomplish.  So many times, we say, "someday" or "when I have some free time" but this helped remind me of my goals, there is only so much time to get them done and accomplish my goals.

I'm happy to report that I accomplished 6 out of my 7 goals!  Woot woot!

1. Buy a House  This one was kind of cheating because I knew it was happening and still put it in the list.      Nonetheless, it was crossed off my list!
2. Run a Half Marathon  I really did!
3. Donate my hair  All 12 inches!
4. Go on a shooting date with Josh  (we did this one right before Thanksgiving-it was a blast!)
5. Have a family picnic in our new backyard  (I'm counting Rory's birthday party as our "picnic")
6. Start a garden with Rory  This was so much fun that we will be planting again this year.  We learned a lot-mostly from our failed attempts to grow any real food.  We did, however, have more zucchini than I could count, at least 3 cantaloupe, a handful of green beans, a cup of dry beans and a few tomatoes.  I'm blaming the rabbits for our dismal turnout.

7. Visit our friends in Texas--This is the only one we didn't get to do. : (

I've been thinking about what I want to get done in 2014 and here is my plan.


1. Complete "Challenge Cards" from church.  In November, during a service, we were challenged to accept a card.  Each card had a task that needed to be completed--the interesting part was, you couldn't pick your card and you couldn't look to see what was on it before you accepted it.  By accepting the card you accepted the task.  The last I heard about these Challenge Cards, our worship minister was challenged to memorized the entire Sermon on the Mount.  He recited the Sermon during church and it was fabulous--will never read that portion of the Bible the same way again.  However, knowing that, my first thought was, "Well, they wouldn't make ours that hard."  Which is probably why we ended up with the cards that we did. While my card (& Josh's) don't require memorization work we do have a lot of prep work to figure out.  More to come-we are really excited about the tasks and seeing what happens with them.

2. Get Rory a passport. We don't plan on traveling internationally but I find that maneuvering the airport is so much easier if you have one.


3. Run Half Marathon, 10k and 5k.  And not in that order or all within a short time frame.  I ran Cincinnati's Flying Pig last year and it was so much fun!  But, I didn't register for ANY races after that and haven't run much since. BIG mistake!  I'm hoping this goal will keep me motivated and moving all year long.

4. Start a Thankful Journal- This was another idea brought up at church.  At the end of each day, write down 3 things you are thankful for.  Actually, we were supposed to start this at Thanksgiving but I like to start things at the beginning of the year so I'll start mine then.  Maybe by Thanksgiving 2014, I'll have a good list to share.

5. Give up Soda! It's probably fair to say I have an addiction--and it's just not healthy.  Technically, I've already started this one.  No soda since Dec 26th and it's hard!! I could really use a Coke right now.

6. Family Activity Time-It's really easy for us to get caught up in getting through life each day that sometimes I forget to do fun things.  This year it's my goal to plan one really fun, and hopefully, new activity each month for us to do together.  I'm pretty excited about this one and already have a few ideas up my sleeves.  If I run out of ideas, well, there is always Pinterest. Ha!

That about sums it up!  I'm anxious and excited to see what 2014 holds.  There are many wonderful, amazing, God given days up ahead.  I'm ready to take 2014 by the horns and wrestle her down! :)

3 Years to Freedom...

I've been getting LOTS of questions about my recent makeover with my brother, Seth.  I thought I'd just answer them all here.

Our journey to growing hair started almost as a joke about 3 years ago.  Seth tried to save some money and skipped a hair cut.  Our Mom did not let him forget.  From their it seemed a battle of wills began and Seth (aka Samson) stopped getting his hair cut.  He does have beautiful, thick, curly hair so after it grew to be about 4 inches long I suggested he just keep growing it and donate it. I did tease him that around Easter churches were going to start recruiting him to play Jesus in their Easter plays. :) Fulfilling my sisterly duties...anyway, from there we decided it was something we would do together.  My hair was in a short bob cut at the time.

Here is a quick look at us before our cut:

This past weekend I drove down to Cincinnati so the two of us, after 3 years of growing, would cut our hair. 

This was not the normal salon I go to so I was nervous about having someone I don't know cut my hair.  Kenji was super high energy and I was a leetle bit close to saying he is not touching my hair but Seth told me how much energy he has.  Literally, he didn't just walk over to the wash station...he ran.  He ran to the front counter and then he would run back.  I'm certain he could tell I was nervous because he started doing impersonations to make me laugh.

I remember when Kenji cut my ponytails off and the sound of the scissors seemed incredibly loud, he asked if I knew what that sound was....Then he said, "That is FREEDOM!"  I think he meant it was freedom for me.  I can say I've cut my hair prep time from 30 minutes to 7 minutes.  But, now, reflecting back I think that sound also means freedom for a child that doesn't have any hair.  Sure, a wig doesn't heal them or make their body feel any better, but, at least in a world of sickness and disappointment it provides some sense of normalcy.  It's easy for everyone to say, "it's just hair" and I caught myself saying that multiple times over but to a child that doesn't have any, it isn't "just hair."

We decided to donate our hair to Children with Medical Hair Loss.  They provide free wigs for children, free hats and free fittings until they are 18.

During this process I couldn't help but think of Rory.  Being a mother sheds an entirely new perspective on life and kids.  I would shave my head a million times over for my son.  My heart breaks for kids that are sick and in need of help.  If 12 inches of my hair can make a difference than it was worth every snip, cut, ponytail and ounce of freedom.

How does your garden grow?

I haven't waited for this evening ever since we looked at our house before purchasing in December--time to plant the garden!  Rory and I have been talking about it so I knew he was excited too!  

Josh and Rory worked in the garden before I got home to get the ground ready.  I see my men have a thing for wearing shorts and boots!  Ha!

Today was an extra special treat because not only was there dirt to dig and seeds to plant but huge machinery at the pond behind our house.  You can kind of see an orange truck just above Josh's left shoulder.  A new bike path is going in so tractors and dump trucks of all sorts were just a short distance away.  To say Rory loved it would be an understatement.

The boys are perfecting their skills at mound building.  I didn't know this but some plants have to be planted in a mound.  Not sure why--I'll do some research.

Rory was such a good helper at counting out the seeds, digging the holes and patting the dirt back over the seeds.  It was much harder keeping him from plodding through all the mounds we had just built!  He kept calling them "mountains."

We did not have any plants around our deck and if I planted something tall it would block our view of the water so for now, I have strawberry starts, green peppers and tomatoes here.  I have 7 different kinds of tomato plants.  I didn't mean to do that but I bought 2 packs from a garden center after my order from a catalog didn't show up and then, literally today, 6 different types show up from the catalog company.  I need to review tomato and spaghetti canning recipes, stat!  I find it a bit ironic because none of us like eating just a tomato--we do however love spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce.

Here is the finished product of the "big" garden.  I'm hoping to reap a harvest of dry soup beans, zucchini, carrots, cantaloupe, watermelon and green beans.  I have two packets of green beans left to plant but will space those out over the next 4 weeks so they mature at different times.  I'm so excited for Rory to see this process from start to finish but also provide food for our family.  It's been a rough economy for everyone and once we buy some wire and tomato stakes we will still have less than $50 total in the entire project.  I spent at least that produce every 4 weeks...if not more.  Some things I will freeze but the rest I will can.  The jars can be a bit pricey but also last forever so it's a one time investment.  I'm looking forward to harvest time--the kid in me wants to go out tomorrow morning and see a beautiful crop but it will be at least 5 weeks before anything gets here!

A post 13.1 miles in the making....

About 4 short months ago I made a goal to run a half marathon and Josh graciously joined me on this endeavor.  I can say, without a doubt, that it was hard work, took a lot of time and sometimes was painful.  All of those hard, painful and tired moments don't even begin to touch the exciting and fulfilling moments of race day.  I can now say that I completely understand why runners have chosen this sport.  While there were a few out to win most were out to race themselves--everyone was beyond encouraging and the giddy nerves were contagious!

First, let me show you a few pics of my favorite city...Cincinnati!  I would have loved to carry my good camera but there was no way I could run with it.  Hands down, the Flying Pig Marathon is the best way to get a great view of this city!  Our day started early, up at 4:30 to be downtown by 5:30.  The race started at 6:30.  Although, it was early this portion of town felt very much awake and alive.  

Josh and I were both nervous, although I think him more than me...or maybe I just wasn't admitting to it fully!  Our morning started at Paul Brown Stadium for a quick bathroom break before we found our corrals.  I can say that runners are the fastest people at going to the bathroom.  There were at least 50 women in front of me but we whipped through in just a few minutes.  Needless to say, I was impressed!

Once we saw the corrals, or "stalls" where you line up according to estimated time to complete, my nerves sank away to pure excitement.  It was hard to keep my legs still--I like most other people occasionally had to jump or shake our legs just to get those excited nerves calmed down.   I may or may not have hollered just a bit to let out some steam. Ha!

With the Boston tragedy, still very fresh, security was tight.  A race official and Navy serviceman checked us in.  Anything we took with us had to be in a clear plastic bag.  Security sweeps were done regularly and if you set your things down it would be thrown away.  Lots of police, swat and national guard.  It was a little unsettling to see the swat team, geared up, weapons in hand and ready to go in a split second.  I'm thankful they were there serving and protecting.  

The race started at 6:30 and literally moments before a rainbow came out!  It's hard to see in the picture but it is just above the light behind us.  That reassured me that I could do this!

I met up with my friend and found out that we were in the same pace group.  We stuck together for 11 miles and had a blast!!  We ran, talked, laughed, hollered, talked some more, laughed some more and overall had a GREAT time!

I think I was nervous because I was expecting the race to be so hard and the hills to be excruciating and maybe they were for some who were trying to run a certain pace or time, but, for me, I just had fun and can honestly say that this is one event that I have had the most fun at...ever!  People from all over come to line the race route and they cheer you on, have snacks, Gatorade, water and funny signs to make you forget that your feet or knees hurt.  There were certain moments that the spectators were so incredible I couldn't help but think that is why Hollywood enjoys walking the red carpet.  That is what I imagined it to be like.

At mile 9.5 I was hungry--thankfully, I had packed one of Rory's applesauce pouches and ate that.  Oh my--applesauce has never tasted so good!  Mile 11 was getting harder...it had started to rain and at that point was the furthest I had ever run.  The route had narrowed and the runners were thinning out but the crowd was so incredible I could have cried...and wanted to cry but didn't because I was worried they would send a medic to check on me.  How embarrassing!

The crowds were so large and dense that our families couldn't make it to the finish line, but seeing this face and his precious sign was worth it!  

My run was complete at 2:55:45 minutes (slow, I know but next year I'll register different so I wont be in the corral with walkers.  It took a lot of time to weave around them.)  Josh finished a solid half hour before me at 2:25:14.

It's safe to say that the running bug has bit Josh and me.  We are already talking about our next race!!  There is no way we could have done this without a few crucial people.  First, there is no way that I could have completed this without my faith.  There were so many times that my knees felt like they were going to explode but I would always pray before my long runs and my knees have always held out.  While running, during times I wanted to quit, sometimes I could only utter, "Oh Lord Jesus..." and I would repeat that over and over.  Our bodies can only do so much and for me, at least, my faith carried me much further than my feet alone could ever go.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the face, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 2:4

Thank you to both our families for graciously keeping Rory, sometimes for multiple hours in a row so I could get my runs in.  Somehow, I don't think the grandparents minded this one bit!

Finally, our life group through church has multiple runners and each week we'd compare notes and see who was doing what.  On the times I wanted to quit, I knew one of these wonderful people would ask me how my run went and how far I'd gone.  I didn't want to disappoint them or myself.  Reporting in each week was a huge motivation to keep going and stay on track.  Josh and I are truly blessed to have such amazing people in our lives.

Although, I had originally set my goal up to be a one time thing and then be done, but I really enjoy running.  Even it is only for the race day and the excitement it brings!  Our goal has changed more than just our exercise.  We have been eating healthier as a family, getting out more and hopefully, impressing the importance of good health on our son.  We accomplished something that was merely an idea on paper, something that I ultimately thought I would not be able to complete.  It's amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it, really try and have an amazing support group of family and friends!

2013: A Bucket List

Happy New Year!!  From our family to yours we pray that 2013 brings you peace, love and happiness!


Let me start by saying I'm not a resolution maker--I'm just not.  I have in the past and by January 4th I'm discouraged and ready to give up.  If it works for you that is great but for me, it just doesn't.  However, a bucket list does seem more appealing.  Creating goals that are clear, concise, and moderately achievable-well, that is right up my alley.

I love the idea of a bucket list but creating a list that would last a lifetime seems daunting to me.  I'm very organized and I like to break up big goals into smaller more manageable ones.  Doing this also gives me that instant gratification.  I can get something done this month and cross it off my list...or wait 10 years for a dream trip to Ireland.

I'm a doer, a finisher, a crosser-offer. 

I need to feel that accomplishment...even if it's only to take a Sharpie marker and cross something off my to-do list.

Josh will tell you I'm a list maker.  I love lists!  I don't forget things, I remember everything I need at the grocery and I remember everything I'm supposed to be doing.  The only times I forget are when it's not on my list.

So rather than creating resolutions or a forever bucket list I'm creating a list of things I want to do before 2013 kicks the bucket!

Without further adieu here are a few things I'd like to accomplish in the coming year.

1.  Buy a house  (this one is kind of in the bag but it was a goal so I'm leaving it on and when we close I'll cross it off.)

2.  Run a half marathon

3.  Donate my hair (only if my hair grows enough to donate)

4.  Go on a shooting date with Josh

5.  Have a family picnic in our new backyard

6.  Start a fruit/veggie garden with Rory

7.  Visit our friends in Texas

What's on your bucket list this year?