Thoughts from The Treadmill

Sunday Night Confessions

2011-04-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

Today at church really brought to my attention that I need to prepare my heart for Easter. As we enter into Holy Week I really want to cleanse my heart and mind and "Get" Easter this year. Not prepare for the Easter Service and the long to-do list that it brought when we were in ministry. Instead I really want to tune my heart into Jesus and come into a reverent spirit as I enter this week. I have just come out of one of the craziest, busy three weeks of my entire life and I regret that I did it to myself. I have run on little sleep. Not been the best mom that I could have been and my eating habits were terrible! All the things I tried to cram into the last three weeks did not get my best because I was "a jack of all trades and master of none." I have lost sleep and my witness in the process. I really want to be better at what I commit to and protect my schedule better. Getting Dalton's birthday party finished as the last thing on my long list of things. I wanted to really focus on taking a deep breath getting my life straighted back out and getting into the Easter Mindset. Other plans were laid out for me and I was blind sided by them starting Friday. I got into a huge fight with Darin that lasted for two days. We never really fight anymore and it started over something so stupid. Then I dealt with bickering siblings all weekend and dropped my I-phone into my coffee. All of these details do set up my story and my lesson that God hit me between the eyes with tonight. Hang with me. I have had a lot of trouble with my oldest this year. He is a sweet tender hearted little boy, but he is strong minded and stubborn. He talks non-stop (do not know where he gets this...), is going to get the last word in, and has been sporting his "I'm not wrong" attitude policing everyone around him. The power struggles that he gets into with his peers and his sisters, over things that don't matter, has driven me crazy this year. I have found myself saying to him, "Why do you do this? This is not helping and makes my job harder when you do this. It does not matter to you and now you are in trouble. Let me be the parent!" This behavior has exasperated me. All of this is all relevant to my lesson.
Today was a frusterating day. Not only did I have a hard weekend with Darin but I have felt let down by different relationships in my life here recently. I have been frusterated and letting it get to me. I tried dealing with it with the best grace I had. I would messure people against my own yard stick and complain about where they did not measure up. The more I vented the more yuck I felt. So I swallowed it and moved on, keeping my own judgemental comments to myself. Then later I got a very accusatory ugly comment on a picture I put up on facebook. So in the best 'turn the other cheek' fashion sent a private email back confronting the person, delted the comment and whipped out my "Holy Meassuring Stick" and pondered all the reasons why that person was wrong. By the end of my rant I felt sick. I knew the enemy was attacking me and I that none of this was by accident. So I called my best friend asking her to pray with me. I could not deal with my frusteration and I did not want the blood of my own sin going with me into this week. As I prayed for wisdom and insight God showed a picture of myself, acting like that little boy yelling at his sisters over them not doing what they were suppose to do, "Mom! Madie's not cleaning her room!" I saw myself in a power struggle with my brother's and sister's in Christ. What does it matter to me who is not doing all that I think they should be doing? What does it matter if someone else sin? How is my pointing it out helping? Just like I have tried to get Dalton to understand that I will deal with his sisters and that his outburts make a bigger mess for me to deal with and now he's in trouble too. God was gently telling me. "Why does it matter to you?" "This is not helping." Lord help me to balance living in peace with my fellow belivers with balancing accountability. Help me to balance mercy with truth. Protect my heart and check my motives. Cleanse me of a haughty spirit and thank you for your lessons.

This is the Stuff

2011-03-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

This song made me laugh out loud when I heard it on the radio. I can't wait to sing it at church! This is my life right now and where God and I am. I hate to admit that I have had to post on facebook for someone to call my phone because I could not find it and I don't have a home phone to call it. I got three tickest the last three months I was in qualifications to become a director. I am sorry I have not blogged in a while. I am having trouble finding time for all of my jobs right now. I want to give my kids the attention they each need. Mary Kay is exploding with my unit and my personal sales. Plus, we are in the final 100 days of the Seminar year and I am finishing both the court of personal sales and recruiting. Not to mention being back in car qualifications for my 2nd free car! Darin is working a lot right now because he is up for another promotion. Baseball season has started again and with two kids in school that is two classrooms to keep up with. From singing in the choir and being in the band at church to planning with our ladies ministry and leading worship at our upcoming retreat, I have no spare time. So blogging has been put on the back burner. I am excited to announce that my 2nd dream will become a reality this summer. We have booked and almost completely paid for our Disney Vacation this summer! I cried on the phone with the lady as we were putting the details together. It is exciting to see the goal that my kids set come to being a reality. They will find out we are going at my debut party for Mary Kay in April! Thank you to all my followers for not dropping me for not posting more.

"The Motions"-Matthew West Worship Wed.

2011-01-26T05:56:00.000-08:00

This song really is a cry of my heart right now.

Sunday Night Confessions-Confession of a broken heart over the sin in my life.

2011-01-23T20:46:00.000-08:00

It is with a very broken heart that come back to my blog with this word. Life has been crazy the last few months but God has been dealing with me. What I am about the blog about may lose me some followers. In fact I know it will. This will bother me because I am working on worrying about rejection and would love to see my blog reach 100 followers. Please hear my heart as you read what I am saying. I do not say this out of judgemental attitude of looking down on any one. Nor am I opening this can of worms for debate. I am simply confessing a sin that God convicted me of and has been dealing with me about for a couple of months and it came to a breaking point while I was away at Mary Kay Leadership this week. I have been a complete hypocrite on my blog and the Christian women who read it I can not believe that you still follow me. I am ashamed of myself and the way I misrepresented my Jesus. The one who sacrificed His own life for me. So here goes....
The Lord has opened up my eyes on my obsession with Twilight. My addiction to the books, the story, the characters, the fan fiction website and the harm it has done in my life. Please hear my heart. When some "well meaning" Christian ladies threw in my face the dangers here I was not ready to receive this message. I have no judgment just truth on what God revealed to me. I dishonored my husband by publicly gushing over another man. Now I justified this by saying he was a fictional character. But in my mind he was real. My children knew more about me being Team Edward than me being for Jesus. I was reading fan fiction sights from my phone in every spare moment that I had. These stories started out as just continuations of the story but I began to reading more and more of the sexual acts of the main characters. I found myself being less bothered by the deviation these stories showed to even the act of the characters drinking human blood.  I had decensitized myself and was battling a major out of control demon of lust. When I started the latest Beth Moore study, Revelation. I was again convicted. I have always wanted to be a bible teacher someday and have a powerful women's ministry. But then I was faced with the question. "Would Beth Moore have any part of this?" I knew the answer and I told God. "Well then maybe you are not calling me to this anymore." I said I would give it up after the last movie came out and the hype dies down. That would mean two more years!!! It got to where I could not pray. I could not worship in church. I just shut down. I felt guily and powerless. I have never rebeled. I followed God in highschool. I did not party when I got away from home. I have never openly rebelled against God and what he was conviting me of. I have never been "addicted" to anything like this in my life. God brought me to a place where I had to chose. I could live in my own rebellion and he would not allow another woman to come into my Mary Kay unit. This is a stupid book series! Fiction not real and I was struggling this hard? Was I crazy? I called my husband from the conference crying and confessed to him and apologized for how I had dishonored him. I asked him to get rid of all of my collectibles, books, movies, t-shirts and posters before I got home. I did not want to have a chance to reason it out and back out before I got home. I also did not want to feel guilty because most of it has been gifts from him. I wish I could say that this was easy. That I have not missed it or struggled or that it did not make me sad. I would compare it to a man who stuggled with an addiction to porn. In a way that is what this became to me. Not visualy but emotionally and through reading the fan fiction stories.  Women struggle to with this on a different level but the sin is the same. The battle in the mind and emotions is a hard place to manage. It can be kept hidden. My motivation for finally doing it was fear of the Lord. I had a direct word from him and I had to follow. The bible verse that was in my study the week this happened was
Revelations 2:1-5  ¹ “To the angel^[a] of the church in Ephesus write:
   These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. ² I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. ³ You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
   ⁴ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. ⁵ Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."
I felt like a hypocrite. Two weeks ago I got to see my youth minister from highschool and his wife. I was ashamed of myself when I saw her. I knew she read my facebook, and read my blog. God has revealed to me some very serious things that Twilight has brought into our culture that is against God. It has been portrayed as innocent, harmless and beautiful. But it is darkness. It still is Vampireism. Yes these are fiction books and I do believe in fantasy vs reality. But Twilight was the tipping point that ushered us into a generation that Vampires are everywhere and the extreme deviation of an underground world is more socially accepted in a way than it ever was before. Vampires are a deviation to the blood atonement of Jesus. My heart is grieved and broken for how much I loved this story and used it to escape realities in my life that I did not want to face. A lot of people read these stories and did not fall as crazy in love with them as I did. But as Christian women where to we draw the line of following culture in the name of fun. So there is my confession. Maybe this was just a word for me. If it struck a chord please don't leave me a ranting comment just stop following me. I will as I have time this week post my reason and scriptures of what God has revealed to me. I am going back through my blog to delete older posts about this obsession. I don't want to send a mixed message. I am not sure what can of worms this post just opened up. I just knew God was leading me to this public confession.

Worship Wed.

2010-10-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

My new favorite song by Addison Road. As much as love Jesus I don't fully grasp His holiness and how undone I truly I am. How lucky we are for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and how with out it God could not look at us. Lord, never let me take for granite that sacrifice. Forgive me of my pride and for ever forgetting that I am worthless without you and never too big to need a savior. Let me never become too complacent in my faith that I forget to stand in awe of your holiness.
"
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:
      "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
       the whole earth is full of his glory."
⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
⁵ "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
⁶ Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
      And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah 6:1-8

Wisdom Worship Wed.

2010-09-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

I was reminded today that the definition of insanity was to do the same things over and over but expecting different results. To change we have to be open for change and willing to go through the pains of change. But we also have to be willing to renew our minds in the word of God. Then in my devotional today, it was about God's wisdom. His perfect wisdom. I want that. I began to see how I have relaxed in the last couple of weeks trying to finish these goals and resting after they were done. I had let a complaining whining spirit creep back in. I was allowing myself to gossip when I was frustrated. I had feelings of unforgiveness towards people that had done Darin wrong at his job and in my heart I was wanting my selfish justification. It is all negative and a poison. The teaching I heard on TV was about prosperity. We are blessed to be a blessing to others. We are highly favored by our God and King who provides so richly to our needs, but it is so to pass on favor to others in need. In my heart I was not sowing seeds of blessings. I pray for Godly wisdom in difficult situations and not be emotion led. I pray for a renewing of my mind so it does not take so long for me to realize I am off track. I want to live life on a different plane in my thoughts and life than the world has to offer. This song for Worship Wed. means so much to me. I got to sing it this summer at church and it is so my prayer today.

Top 2 Tuesday

2010-09-14T09:17:00.000-07:00

Things I will Accomplish This Year!

Earn this Ring!

I am going for being the Queen of the entire Sapphire Division at the Mary Kay Seminar for Recruiting!

This is huge for me because I have never even been in the Queen's Court of Recruiting! It takes 24 new qualified team members. I am going for 50. Last year I only recruited 3 qualified team members the entire year. This year I have added 15 personal team members and 5 are already Seminar Qualified! My mother said she would come to Seminar to see me cross the stage in the Queen's Court of Sales, Unit Club, and WHEN I am the Queen of Recruiting my entire family will get to be presented on stage with me. It will give me a huge platform to publicly tell my family what they mean to me. It makes me cry to even think about. What lesson will that teach my kids as they stand beside the big throne I will get to sit on. Then watch me earn a crown and be presented and get to introduce them. What will they learn about big girl dreams and accomplishments. I have learned that we as women have to tap into the emotions behind our dream and feed them. I already envision myself seated on that throne. I can see what Dalton, Brighton and Madison be wearing and what they will say when they get to talk in the big microphone. To see the look of pride on my dad's face and to have my mother get to the see the huge picture of why I do what I do. I have my dress for it all picked out. What will I get to say about Darin and publicly thank him for his support. It will be his first Seminar too. We will also be traveling to Dallas in our new Pink Caddy too! I will accomplish this goal this year!

2. Take my Kids to Disney World!

I have dreamed of taking my children to Disney World while they were little enough to believe that they were meeting the real Cinderella and Mickey Mouse. This year as a new Sales Director I can earn up to $4000 in bonuses each quarter just by doing what I am suppose to do. I have already earned the 1st one by debuting as a Sales Director before Dec. 1 this year! Each $1000 check I earn is going into a savings account for our trip. Our plan is to pick them up on the last day of school and go on this vacation. This year has already started as a year that the Koenig house hold does what they have been saying they are going to do for a long time.

I know this is top 2 Tuesday but I have one more. With mine and Darin's promotions this month we are back on track to being debt free by December 31st! We will make this happen!

Feature Friday

2010-09-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

Feature Friday

I am doing my feature Friday again. I love to introduce to my blogging world the people that mean something to me. Today I am featuring my beautiful sister-in-law Stephanie. She is married to my littlest brother Shane. It is funny because I was almost named Stephanie. It was hard enough when my sister-in-laws came along and took the last name Helm. I was a little territorial that I was the only Helm girl of the family and now that was not my last name. But to have two Stephanie Helm's would have been weird. It took me a little while to get to know Stephanie because she is so quiet. When I mean quiet I mean, I can have a one sided conversation with her. I really think she had to get use to me too. I bet her ears would ring when she left me. In my house growing up that was something we were not use to. I think that is why she is perfect for my brother Shane. Stephanie has always loved my babies and been wonderful with them. She could love on and cuddle Madie since she was born. She helped me so much this weekend while Darin was out of town and Madie was sick by taking Dalton for two days. Then Sunday night we were both getting ready to go out to dinner and Madie started crying, she was there. It heard a really troubling cry and I thought she was going to be sick. She was screaming that her tummy hurt. When I took her to the bathroom she did not want to sit on the toilet or lean over it to throw up. It was not a normal cry and it scared me because I thought maybe it was her appendix. Stephanie is a nurse so I called her to come help me. When I laid Madie down I herd that gurgle noise that told me she was fixing to throw up. I rush her to the bathroom and nothing happened. She kept crying. That worried Stephanie and she grabbed Madie and rushed her to the bed to check her stomach with the same concern about her appendix. The next I hear is Madie projectile vomit all over Stephanie. I tried to warn her. I knew that noise. Stephanie just stood there a moment and then smiled and asked Madie, "Do you feel better now?" She did not freak out or bat and eye. I took Madie to clean her up and she went to clean herself. I knew that was a special kind of aunt. I would not have been as calm if another persons kid puked all over me. I was not that good of an aunt in my 20s either. When crisis happens you want someone as cool and calm as Stephanie there with you. She is a very patient and loving wife with my brother. Shane is the entertainer and you never know what is going to come out of his mouth next. Stephanie just rolls with it. She is going to make a great mom someday. She has fit into our family well over the last few years. Even though I think we completely overwhelm her with how loud and talkative we can all be. My favorite is all the shopping trips we have already made together. That is the most fun times I have had with my two sister in laws. I never had a sister but I love going to church and being known as the three Helm girls. It is very sweet to worship with each week and do life with my sister-in-laws. Even if they both like to remind me I am the oldest.

Worship Wed a Day Late

2010-09-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

I did not get to post yesterday because the day got away from me. I wanted to welcome all my new followers. Each one just made my day and I can't wait to get to 100! I love that people are reading what I write. I really started this blog as an outlet for my thoughts. But I also want it to be an encouragement to others. Maybe someone can identify with my struggles of being a wife and mother. Or just be encouraged that they are not a crazy as that lady. haha Or if just I make someone just laugh, I have served my purpose. I love all of the comments and promise to read through your blogs too. It was an exciting day for several reasons. Madie was finally well and we got out of the house! Praise the Lord it was a long 7 days!!! I got to start my new Ladies Bible study. I had to miss the 1st week because Madie was so sick. I also woke up yesterday morning and checked my Mary Kay website and found my official congratulations on becoming a director. I got my official unit number and got to order my suit!!! It was so exciting. I was on the phone with my best friend Susan at the time and litterally squeeked in her ear! Then we went to tour Darin's store and have lunch! It is official! The same week I became a MK sales director Darin became the newest GM in his area for Whataburger! We have struggled for so long working, waiting, praying for a break through. We were both at our breaking point with weariness and ready to give up. God blessed us abundantly and all at once. There was no trickle in of the blessings! It was a tidal wave! We are so excited!
I wanted to share a new worship song that was sang on Sunday. I love my church so much! One of the things that I love the most is, that instead of diving the church over worship wars they just created another service that is at the same time as the traditional service. It is for those of us that want to worship with a live band and more modern music. We get the benefits of the established church with all of it's structure and the different ages that make up the beauty of the body, but are not sacrificing what our hearts love in worship. This week some of the teens and college students led us and it was awesome! The last few weeks worship has been so alive. It has overwhelmed me and consumed me. As we are singing I has such a deep desire to hear the crowd breakout in thunderous applause. Now don't get me wrong, there is a time for reverence and quiet. I would never want to lose that. But there are times to dance and cheer. To celebrate and just give thunderous applause to the Great and Mighty King who sits on the throne. The God who has overcome the world for us. It is like a battle cry to the enemy that we will follow this King to the ends of the earth into victory. Despite anything that comes against us we will cry out our allegiance and raise His banner high. Like the thunderous applause that erupts during a football game when your team takes the field. Fans go crazy! Or a rock star or when a celebrity take the stage to thunderous applause. Our God deserves more applause than we would or could give to anyone else. Like in The Lion King when the animals bow down in reverence and then break into thunderous applause for the birth of the new king. That scene made me cry in the theater because it was such a picture of how we should worship. The last two weeks I can feel it begin to break out but no one wants to step out and draw attention to themselves. I yearn to just hear it erupt through the worshipers and not be contained. When the people of the Lord come together and worship the Lord and celebrate all that he has done. I don't mean the cheesy slow motion clap from teen 80's movies that breaks out into cheers. But just to be singing to God and thanking him for who he is and it can not be contained. Because he is a Great God, and a Victorious King of Glory! The song breaks out almost into a shout as they just cry out. It is not the best recording of the song. But see the massive crowd respond to worship and cry out to God. It brings tears to my eyes just watching the video.

Psalm 100

SHOUT for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Labor Day & Top 2 Tues.

2010-09-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

Top Two things you love about Fall

1. The cooler weather, and opening all my windows.

2. Football. Not a huge fan of watching it on TV, but high school football. The sound of the band playing, Homecoming mums, the Friday buzz. It all brings back such sweet memories. Then there is taking Saturday afternoon naps listening to the sounds of the announcer and the refs. whistle blowing while Darin watches College Football. Putting on our maroon and white to go watch the Aggies play at my parents house. It reminds me of going to College Station and watching my brother play in the band at Kyle Field.

Friday I was home with Madie and it was cloudy outside. A perfect overcast day and I could hear the band practicing for the nights game. The cadence of the drums playing in the background was relaxing. Sounds of shotguns in the background was mixed in and just as soothing. Yes, to this Texas girl the sounds of guns firing in the back ground is a sweet sound. It is the opening of dove season. I hear that and I am a kid again at my great grandparents farm house waking up to the smell of granny cooking breakfast and the sound of the sheep bleating in the pasture beside my open window. The cool breeze is blowing in the sweet smell of wet the dewy ground and I can smell the fall air. Growing up we spent every labor day at my grandparents and great grandparents homes. Fall also brings back such sweet memories of the buzz that fall Fridays brought when I was in high school. Pep-rallies, football games, after game dances. Listening the sound of the drums coming from the band and the announcer could be heard from my house because we lived by the school. Fall flowers, and scarecrows take over Hobby Lobby along with the ribbons for Homecoming Mums. I loved watching my mother make them growing up. I loved wearing the Homecoming mums and the excitement of the Homecoming Dance. Then for a couple of years I loved getting to help my neighbor make her daughter's. She has no idea what they were and it was neat to get to share my tradition and get to help her. I can't wait to get to do that when my kids are old enough. Hopefully they will still be in style to wear. Are Homecoming Mums just a Texas thing? Fall reminds me of listening to country music, wearing boots and riding around in a boys pick up trucks. Remember I grew up in Texas and wearing boots was not a Cowboy dress up day for school.

It was August that I started dating my husband, Darin. Our love story started in the fall. I met his family when I spent Labor Day weekend with them in Wimberly 15 years ago. Fridays brought a different excitement as I would wait for him to come each weekend from his school to see me. Or I would travel to Belton to go see him. Just hearing the song, "Dust on the Bottle" takes me back to days of running around in his blue pick up truck driving the back roads between Temple and Belton.

5 Question Friday

2010-09-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

I have had a sick little one with strep and it has been a difficult week taking care of her. But thank goodness school has started and she was the only one at home. I thought I would like up with Mama M and her 5 question Friday.
1. What do you do when you have time to yourself?
Read! I love getting lost in another world created in a story. I left the world of Fork and jumped into Hogwarts. I just finished reading the Harry Potter Series and loved every minute of it. I hate to admit it being a diehard Twilight fan, but the last book of the series, The Deathly Hallows was one of the best fiction books I have ever read.
Writing. I don't get much time for it but I love to write. Short stories, poems. I did a lot more of it before having kids.

2. When you look out your kitchen window, what do you see?
My neighbors house.

3. Who/What would you want to be reincarnated as?
An Ice skater. I love watching figure skating and think it would be so cool to get to do that. The graceful routines they get to do. What an expression of their soul to get to skate a beautiful performance to a song that is meaningful to you. Like when Scott Hamilton did a beautiful performance to Amazing Grace back in the 80's. Not to mention all of the beautiful costumes.
4. What is your biggest pet peeve about other people's kids?
Cleaning up after them. I don't like cleaning up after my own kids but I really resent having to clean up after other people's kids. I also have a hard time when they are distructive with my kids toys. My kids are trained to take care of their toys and it is hard when other kids play to rough with toys or break their favorite toys. This is for another post. I still have issues of being a church planter's wife and having other people's kids in my home a lot.

5. Regular or Diet soda?
There is nothing better than a foutain Dr. Pepper over crushed ice. But I am learning to like diet coke.

We did It!

2010-09-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

We did it, we did it! Yea we did it! To borrow from Dora. Monday night (one day early) my team and I finished the qualifications from Mary Kay to become our own unit! It was awesome! The last two consultants placed their orders to complete the requirements of $18,000 wholesale in a 4 month period. This is something I have deemed of and wanted for over 13 years! It was something I was afraid to try and in the back of my mind wondered if I had what it took to make it through the process. It means tripling my income from what I am making now. It is the making it to the top 2 percent of the company. I can now go on target for that beautiful pink Cadillac. It means I get to order my suit and wear it at all the events. I have a unit that I get to train, and teach. It is a lot of recognition at company events. Personally it breaths life into my self confidence that I saw something through to completion and did it! I did not get up when the going got tough and things looked like they were not going to happen. This is the suit I get to order as soon as Mary Kay calls and gives me my unit number.

I am my Director Teresa's 1st off spring unit! She is like another Mom to me and to get to make her a Sr. Director is the coolest thing.

This time last year I was at an all time low. We were out of ministry because we closed the doors on our church and the church we went to work for could not longer pay Darin a salary. With very little notice we moved out of our home and moved in with my parents. I had fallen out of qualifications for directorship due to all of the sudden changes. Living with my parents was not the ideal situation and strained my relationship with my mother. I felt lost, defeated, lonely and trapped. Darin was depressed and has no idea what his next step would be. I felt like I did not belong anywhere and was ashamed. I got on antidepressants to just help me deal with my current reality. By October Darin got a job with Whataburger and we moved into our own home. We started on the slow journey back to get back on our feet. It has not been an easy journey and has taken a lot of hard work but the reality hit me of how life has changed. Now one year later we are in a church that we love. We have always served in churches but being a part of Manchaca Baptist church is the church I always wanted to a part of or one like it. Here I am surrounded by people I love! My best girlfriends in the world all go to church with me. The people teaching my children also knew me when I was a teenager. I am apart of the community that I live in. Coming home to the town I was raised in has been healing. I no longer feel like an outsider looking in trying to build community with people around me. I finally feel like a belong and am loved. I am back in a size 8! I took the bull by the horns and got my pregnancy weight off my body. From a 14 to an 8 and working towards a 6! I took myself off the antidepressants. Life has been steadily getting back on track but very hard these past few months. Whataburger has been a hard test as Darin work long hours at a store towards proving himself ready to take over his own store and waiting for one to come open. After finding out that I had made director, Darin got a call that he has his interview tomorrow to take over his own store and be a General Manager for Whataburger. His salary will double and his bonuses will triple the same month my bonus percentages triple! God is so faithful! His blessing is abundant. Never late and always on time. I laugh when I think about how tightly I held on to old dreams and what I thought I wanted for my life. I begged God to not move us again this last time. I was frustrated when life began to transition. Wow my life is completely different that it was one year ago and what a year it was.

Worship Wed.

2010-08-25T13:17:00.000-07:00

We are down to needing $1200 and 1 qualified and 2 active to finish directorship! It feels so close and yet so far away. But I refuse to give in to panic or anxiety. God has brought me this far and he will see it through. I stand in awe and I worship. I was praying with two ladies last night for things because God laid it on our hearts to begin to pray. As I was praying the task seemed so huge. Like I was pushing a huge bolder and trying to get it rolling. The task we were praying for seemed so big when we started. But God revealed to me that he had already started this ball rolling. He was the one that called these ladies and I to starting praying and come along side a work that He himself started and was doing. He wants us to cry out to him and tell him He is great and able to more than we ever imagined possible! He allows us to be apart of his plan and see Him work. I love this video because it has the word of God in it. There is nothing more powerful that we can do than to pray His word! I shout it from the roof tops that Our God is faithful. Our God is Stonger, and Awesome in Power, He is Our God!

1st Day of School

2010-08-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

There are so many blog posts going on in my head that I want to write and very little time to write it all out. I am so excited to report that we are down to needing two more qualified team members (Placing $600 wholesale orders) and about $1500 in production to come to finish directorship! I am excited but I wish I was done today. Today marks the last 7 days to the month and I feel the clock ticking. But, Our God is faithful and I am can't wait to see where it comes from and how He chooses to wrap this up.

The first day of school brought a mixture of emotions. Mainly excitement because keeping up with all three kids, business and our house alone has been overwhelming. I did get a little teary eyed yesterday taking my excited little 5 year old to her classroom. It is a new stage of life with another one starting school. It was hard getting everyone to bed on time and up early the next morning. In fact Dalton woke me up at 1:00 am fully dressed and wanting to know why I was not up yet.

The kids have been so hyper and full of energy since we went to back to school night last Thursday and I could not get them to school fast enough Monday morning. This is going to interesting getting two ready and out the door on time. Girls have a lot more prep time that boys even at a young age.

Brighton's dress was made by her grandmother for school. Mimi made her 5 little dresses for school this year.

Daddy got to help us get ready and prayed over them before we left the house. I love this picture.

There were some tears as we left but not over going to school and being left at home. Maddie cried because she did not want to get up and wanted to go back to bed.

It is really neat that my kids go to the same Elementary School that I went to and where Nonna teaches. Dalton will actually be in her grade level and his classroom is right next door. So yesterday morning we had to stop by her classroom for hugs.

I am so excited about Dalton's teacher this year because I have known her since we were in Jr. High. It is going to make delivering her Mary Kay easier too. She has a check for her product in his take home folder when he got home.

I did not get a picture of Brighton with her teacher because another student was having a melt down over her mother leaving her. I am so thankful that I do not have shy children. It would have made leaving her so hard. She could not get there fast enough. The entire process of getting a new back pack, lunch box and supplies has just made her more and more excited.

When we got back in the car Maddie announces. "I am your only child." She was so content to play by herself all morning. We ate lunch together and she was a different child with out the other two. Errands went so smoothly and quickly getting only one child in and out of the car. I did realize last night some of the draw back to having two in school now though. There is double the paperwork to fill out and it all the same information. Double the cost for school supplies, lunch and school expenses. Double the time getting lunches made in the morning and breakfast. It is going to be interesting when all three are going to school.

Worship Wednesday

2010-08-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

I am going back to my Worship Wednesdays! I am at a point where I am striving to be more worshipful in my life. I know it works to bring me back to being centered and grounded in my faith. Worship fills my storming soul with peace and fills me with power. Last week I was worn out and having a tough week. The kids were not helping with their fighting and my hormones were not cooperating either. As I have stated before I can sometimes have PMS so bad it can make me doubt my own salvation. So I turned off the TV and plugged in my Iphone to the speakers in the house and played worship music. My kids acted better, I calmed down and peace flowed through the house. Worship is such a strong weapon to use against the schemes of the devil. When there is nothing I can do about my situation and I have laid it down at the foot of the cross, all I have left to do is worship. It is what I should have done first! It clears my mind from worry and turns my lips from complaining to praise! Tell God who he is and how much you love him! Thank him for all he has done! Sometimes our breakthrough come when we express our needs to God and verbally tell him that we know he has the power to heal and to mend. Even when your heart does not start out believing it, the mind only knows what the tongue tells it! Cry out to him that he is the supplier of our needs! That is why I love the words to the chorus of the song, "You are Holy." "You are Lord of Lords, You are King of Kings, You are mighty God, Lord of everything! Alpha Omega! Beginning and End! My Savior Messiah Redeemer and Friend. Your my prince of Peace and I will live my live to Him." To keep idle hand from making things worse then I lift them in praise to Christ! I love to sing that song because you are telling God that he is those things. It is not a song about him it is a song to him! Sing that enough and your mind catches up, where the mind goes the emotions catch up, where the emotions go belief follows! It is amazing the power that is released when we take our hands off our problems and raise them instead in praise!
Just like the people used to do when the king and the men would go into battle. They would raise their hands cheering, lifting banners high in the air. Banners telling their enemies who they supported! Banners with the crest of of the ruling king! Our hands are our banners! We are telling the enemy which King we serve, which King we worship and which King we follow! We are celebrating our King and his battle as he goes into battle on our behalf! I love the image of that. This life is a battle but not any victory compared to the day that the King will come riding in on the white horse ending the final battle victoriously! Raise your hands in worship with full abandonment because we serve the ruling King who will reign eternally and is always victorious!
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
Revelations 5:13

Quick Post

2010-08-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

I am not feeling well today! Those of you out in blog land reading this if you could please pray. Now is not the time for me to get sick. I only need 7 more people to add or get active on my team to finish directorship and I am pushing to finish it this week! My head is pounding, my chest is burning and I ache all over! I really wanted to play on Taylor @ Undomestic Goddess today with her Top 2 Tuesday. But really don't have time today. So I thought I would just post a music video of a new song that I love. I am not a huge Pink fan but I love her voice on this song and I love the words to this song. Plus I gotta give the girl props. She not only nailed every note of the song singing live but she does it while swinging in the air! One more side note! I love all of my new followers and am super excited to get to 80! JUST 1 MORE! Enjoy this song.

Sunday Night Confessions-Posted on Monday

2010-08-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know that it is Monday and I was so tired last night I did not have time to blog. We have got to get into a better night time routine around our house with school starting soon. My youngest two would not go to sleep last night! Grrrrr! Yesterday in Sunday School our teacher Tricia asked us what we would do for God if we were not afraid? Then we had to get into groups and talk about it! It was neat because my group was my brother and his wife Jenny . Jenny knows everything about me so as we talked I did not have to explain a lot. I consider myself a risk taker and a bold person. I am not afraid to meet people, talk to people or ask for what I need. I have the mentality of "If you don't ask then you will never know." But I have a lot of deep rooted fear that this question helped me dig into. I am on the brink of having my biggest dream fulfilled and I am scared out of my mind!!!! I have wanted to be a Mary Kay sales director since I joined 14 years ago. I mean it brings tears to my eyes I want it so bad. To be a Mary Kay Sales director is the epitome of everything I want to be. They are feminine, beautiful, strong leaders. Not everyone gets to be one but it's open to anyone who wants to work hard enough to get it. At Mary Kay events they are set a part and honored. They have a huge platform to teach, speak and inspire other women. The amount of income potential that a Mary Kay sales director can have is matched to Cooperate America and they don't have to sacrifice their families, motherhood or beliefs for it. Plus, they have the most fashion forward suits that are designed for them each year and they can earn the use of the pink Cadillac. I could work for other companies and I have been approach by every home based business that has come up over the years. But Mary Kay is me. It is a Christ centered company that is feminine and glamorous and so pro women. Plus, HELLO PINK CADILLAC! It takes four months and certain qualifications to become a Sales Director and I am in my last month and I am TERRIFIED! I finished the Queens Court of Sales two years ago and earned my 1st diamond ring. I earned the use of my 1st car two years ago too. But this is the hardest thing I have ever done because I have to trust others with my dream and include them in on it too. In sales it is all on me. I can sell this product in my sleep and have built a large clientele. But my dream is now tied up into people recruiting under me and helping them reach their dreams. That is where I realized my deep rooted fear lies. I don't want to risk being disappointed in people who are not women of their words. It is so hard for me to invest in people and they walk away. It is hard to take someone at their word and then they let you down. I usually do things myself because I don't want to risk being disappointed in people. Nor do I want to be a disapointment to others. I don't want to recruit an awesome person and dream with them and then they disappear from your life with no word. I have to fight myself not to focus on all of the team members who did not keep their word and focus on the ones that did. It is hard to be excited after being let down. The last two months of qualifications have been an range of emotions and it has been difficult to risk running full speed ahead again. But then I had a thought the other day that I have taken as my mantra, "Do not let the people who do not keep their word, stop me from seeking to find the ones that do." I have some awesome women on my team that have rallied around my goal and begun to form goals of their own. If not for Mary Kay and seeking them out I would not have them in my life. I have to keep asking and seeking because I do not know who God is going to place in front of me that I was too discouraged to talk to. It like what Mary Kay herself taught us, "Some will, some won't, so what." I know that this is from my point of view from my little pink bubble, but it applies to life. We have all been hurt in relationships and it can make us shut down and not reach out again. It can make us perceive others as a threat. But if we entrust our hearts to our heavenly father and allow him to lead us into fellowship with others then we are enriched and able to be used for his kingdom. I can not pray for God to enlarge my territory if I do not embrace every opportunity he places in front of me. My passion is reaching women. If I can make a women feel more beautiful, more confident and learn who she is in Christ then that is all I could want. My biggest accomplishment ever in my Mary Kay career is the two women who accepted Christ from a Skincare class. It is a magical thing. Through lipsticks and rouge women can be empowered and find a relationship with Jesus Christ. When I put my fear in that light a what is little disappointment and frusteration? In the end it is all worth the risk.

So Inspired! Feature Friday

2010-08-06T21:10:00.000-07:00

I have been in the middle of qualifications to becoming a director with Mary Kay. So there has not been a lot of blogging time. The last few month have been a wave of emotions, stress and big stories of victory. God has been teaching me through his word about diligence and persistence as a growth of faith. I will be blogging about my thoughts over the next few post. But before I can have perseverance I have to have motivation. I just got back from Seminar and I have to tell you how much I LOVE Seminar every year! It was fun going this year because I was a size smaller and had an entire new look.

Today I want to feature a new friend of mine Joy. Joy was the Queen last year of our National area and in the Queen's Court of Sales for the Saphire Seminar top 20! After talking with Joy I learned that the year she did this she had survived a brain tumor and home schooled three young children, two with disabilities. She has one with autism and one with anger issues. As I talked with her I thought, "So what was my excuse now?" Here is the picture of the top three with our National Sales Director in her last Seminar before retirement.

This year Joy came back to Seminar and had not only done the Queen's Court of Sales again but now was the number two in Sales for the entire Saphire Seminar. The Queen was not in attendance at Seminar and Joy got to give a speech. In it she thanked her family and talked about each of her children and what they had taught her. Her oldest has taught her patience because of all the needs of her younger siblings. She spoke of how proud she was of her. Then she explained how her son with autism and taught her what persistence and determination looked like and thanked him for his positive attitude. It was what she said about her last one with the anger issues. She talked about how much she loved him and how even when things got broken in her home that God was using that to teach her not to be materialistic over earthly things. Having three strong willed children all 8 and younger and a husband who works long hours, I thought these were good excuses as to why I had not completed all of my goals. After getting to know Joy I need to make my children my reasons not my excuses.

Seminar really inspired me this year and I thought I would share this years goals:

Finish Directorship Sept.1!!!

Complete the Queens Court of Sales top 20! Selling $50,000 this year!

Queen of Recruiting in the Saphire Seminar with 50 new qualified team members!

$300,000 Unit Club with my new unit!

These are some big goals but I a ready to grow and see God show up in a big way!

Thank You Jenny Childress!

2010-08-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

My blog background disappeared and I did not have the patience to work on it. My friend Jenny offered to help fix it and she fixed it up too! Now she is on a mission to look for me a zebra print. I am redoing my office in Zebra and hot pink and it is my theme for Mary Kay this year. Thank you Jenny for offering to help. You did a great job.

5 Question Friday

2010-07-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have not played the 5 Question Friday in a while and I thought I would this week. The older two kids are at VBS at our church and I have a few free moments before it is time to go pick them up. I have been crazy with qualifications for Mary Kay right now that I have not had much time to blog. I have missed it but I have huge goals to finish this month and next. Other than keeping house, running after three kids and trying to work out it there is not a lot of time left to blog. I could not find the link button on her site but you can play along with Mama M by clicking here. http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/2010/07/five-question-friday-71610.html She has a really cute blog I like to follow.

1. Do you collect anything?

I use to collect Gone with the Wind memorabilia. I since moving from having it all over my highschool bedroom to having my own house. I did not have much space left for Scarlett and Rhett. I have started a small collection of Twilight things since that is my new favorite set of books and movies. I now collect jewelry crosses. I love the ones I have gotten so far. For Christmas I have copied my mother and started collecting Santa's to decorate with.
2. Name 3 celebrities that you find good looking.

When I was a teen I loved Chris Odonell and Kirk Cameron. I just dated myself as a teen in the 90's. Now there are several that I think are handsome but I like them when they are in character not in normal life. (If that makes any sense.) Number 1 would be Robert Pattinson when he is Edward. (Eclipse finally got him looking like the story book Edward. Orlando Bloom when he is Legolas and in Pirates. In normal day dress he is not "clean cut" enough for my taste.
I think Zack Efforn is the cutest. But I should pick someone out of their 20's right? It's my blog and I can do what I want. :)

3. Do you have any scars? If so, what's the story behind it (them?)?

I have one in my eyebrow where the hair does not grow. I have to use brow gel to cover it up. It is from when I was five and my three year old little brother was killing ants with a crow bar and I looked over is shoulder to see what he was doing. He never he knew he hit me. Now my question is where he got the crowbar and where our parents were at the time?

4. What is a food that you like to eat, but others might think it's gross or weird?

I like to dip french fries in a chocolate milkshake. I don't think that is weird. I also like to dip potato chips in ketchup.

5. Have you ever seen a tornado in real life?

Not really. I was in Belton when the big tornado hit Jarell Texas back in 1998 I think. It's about 15 minutes north. We had tornado's touch down in Temple, Belton and North Austin. I just could not leave class due to the storm.

Wordless Wed.

2010-07-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

My favorite of all of the pictures I took on the 4th of July.

My Little Man

2010-07-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

Dalton has been at his Aunt Wee's house since last Friday. He will not be home until Tuesday and I miss him! He is 8 now and thinks he is grown. He is in heaven with my teenage nephews! He is in guy land full of Halo, Guitar Hero and I am sure plenty of burping and farting jokes. He has hung with the big boys all week and I can tell when I talk to him on the phone. He called me a punk for going to see Eclipse with out him and wanted to know all about the wolves and the Harry Potter preview that I saw! He must have felt so grown getting to go see Toy Story 3 in 3D with his 19 & 16 year old cousins. I fully warned them to buckle him up, not let him go to the theater bathroom on his own and not to let him wander off by himself. I know that I was 19 when I use to take these two boys on outings when they were 6 & 4 but, girls view things differently. When warning my nephew about this, he jokingly buts in with, "So the beer I bought to give him is out?" Just wait until this nephew has a kids of his own and we will see how he feels.

Speaking of the whole bathroom thing, I have a question to pose to other mother's of boys out there. Dalton is 8 now and does not want to go into the restroom with me when we are in public. I get that, but I am just not ready to send my 8 year old little boy into the big men's bathroom all on his own. We have all heard the horror stories and what can happen to little boys in men's bathrooms. I swore I would not be that over protective mom but if I don't protect him who will? If I had more than one little boy to send together I think it would be different. I get the funny looks for women in the YMCA locker room and bathrooms. I understand that he is getting too old to go with me. But did anyone else struggle with this? The icing on the cake was the other day when we were in Walmart and Madie announces, "I need to go potty!" I think it is ingrained in her little body that every time we are in Target or Walmart and at the furthest place in the store away from the bathroom that she needs to go right then. So I left my half full cart out side the bathroom and lugged all three into the restroom against Dalton's will. I could not leave him alone outside the bathroom? I took both girls into the stall and hear Dalton out side of the stall, "T-t-tame.T-t-tame-pon. Tamepon. Hey mom what's a tamepon?" I went three shades of red and heard another lady in a stall stiffel a giggle. "Don't worry about it Dalton." I called from the restroom while struggling the get Madie's pants up with out her touching the toilet seat. "But mom they are selling them in this bathroom. Is it for girls?"

I hurriedly tried to get the girls hands washed at a sink that is too tall and get out of the bathroom as fast as I can. "Mom what are they for? What is a Tampon?" I was a blank for an answer and very embarrassed. "Please don't Dalton. It is not something for you to worry about." Then his impish smile crossed over his face starting at the corner of his little mouth as he spoke. "Oh I get it Mommy. It is something inappropriate to talk about isn't it?"

Ah the adventures of Motherhood!

A Very Hard Week with a Very Good Ending

2010-07-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

This week has been a terrible, no good very bad week that progressively just got worse as the week carried on. But this week had a very good ending! I am not going to go into all of the details because it is over now. (Thank the Lord!) I am in qualifications to becoming a director with Mary Kay and things fell very short and we made it into the next month by the skin of our teeth. As I frantically worked to make up the difference in our production and finish the minimums of the month, the stress of my husbands job made him crack and he took it out on the entire family. He has since apologized and even helped me get my newest team member, but things were tense around the Koenig house this week. This was topped off by while I was putting in a new team members order at her apartment my daughter announces that she needs to go potty. I ran her upstairs to their bathroom thinking no one was home and not being warned that anyone was home upstairs. I walked in on her roommates boyfriend completely naked going to the bathroom! I saw enough to know he was not dressed and escaped running back down stairs with my little one still needing to go potty. It was a first for me in my Mary Kay career! I ended the week while I was out running errands blowing out the side of my favorite pair of flip flops and it was heavily raining. Then getting a speeding ticket on Thursday morning. I was so sad Tuesday nights watching all the status updates of people I knew that were at the midnight showing of Eclipse. My girlfriends and I had purchased tickets for July 1st. I could not justify going before June was over because I was working. Thursday seemed so far away. I could not wait to see the movie! So to reward my hard work my wonderful sister-law, Jenny treated me to the early bird showing Thursday morning at 10:15 with popcorn and drink included! ~~Or my she bought tickets to see it with my brother and he did not want to go and I was her second choice.~~ Seeing the movie 10:15 two days after it opened was not the same vibe as seeing New Moon at the midnight showing with 2000 other anxiously waiting fans with all of their various Twilight shirts. We sported our Team Edward shirts proudly. But I think we were the only ones. It was fun to see it with Jenny though. She was so sweet to think of me and wanted to see the movie with me. She had to work and could not go with our girls group for the Thursday showing. I love my Jenny!

Thursday night I went with the rest of my gals over to Alamo Draft House to see the movie again. Yes, I saw Eclipse twice in one day and had two different shirts for the two viewings. So I sported my new shirt and headed out! This theater was a restaurant and we ate during the movie. I don't think I can go back to a regular movie theater after this.

Stephanie had the best shirt of the night although Jasper was so good in the movie I wanted a Jasper shirt like Vanessa got.

My thoughts on the movie will be saved for another blog post. I wanted to feature my Twilight Home girls that made my movie experience so awesome and a fun ending to what started as a rough week.

Grace

2010-06-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin!

Life has been a little tough these last couple of months. But, I have been surviving. I have pushed through frustration. I've tried to keep a positive outlook and a good prospective on things that have happened. I have put my nose to the grindstone and tried to just keep moving forward. Some days I could hear in my head, "Just keep swimming, swimming. Just keep swimming." from finding Nemo. I was wait for my break through. I have had little victories along the way that have kept me going. I am loved and supported but felt so alone and misunderstood. Have you ever had so much pressure pushing down on you that you felt like you could not breath? I have swallowed a lot of hurt and a lot of disapointments and kept moving forward. There is no time to question, no time to wonder why. I have just rolled with it and known that God would see me through this and someday I would have answers as to why. Frusteration has been building inside of my that I have supressed down. God is soveriegn and he sees all, knows all and controlls all. To allow frustration to leak out and admit to it was to doubt God and to me showed a lack of faith. What He brings us too He can bring us through. I know all of these truths, but still was drownding in a sea of dispair. I felt resentment, anger, stress and frusteration bubbling internally and was doing my best to keep it from overflowing on people around me. I did not like the way I felt and could feel my controll on it slipping. Yesterday was hard in church to get into worship. I needed it but I could not get into it. I felt far from God and I am so tired of feeling like I am not enough. Why was I so angry? Why could I not relax and felt litterally jittery all the time? I was a ticking time bomb waiting to going off and I hated how out of controll I felt. Where was the peace that passes all understanding in the midst of the storm? Where was my power from the Lord? As the sermon started God whispered in my ear the word-Grace. He was calling me to soak in his grace. That truth hit me between the eyes. I was not letting his grace wash over me and I had nothing left to give others. I was missing the point because I was missing grace. I had the grace of salvation but I was missing the point of his mercry being new every morning. I knew of grace but I was not walking in grace. This is what I began to write as I sat there....

Grace has flowed over me and washed me clean. Grace that has been given freely that I could never deserve is new for me to embrace each and every morning.

Rivers of grace wash over me and I can not stop it's flow as it reaches others. Grace must be kept flowing. I can give grace because I have recieved grace. Dear God pull me off the high thrown of judgement that I have allowed to Lord over me bringing with it feelings of guilt and shame. It has cast a shadow of judgement over others. I run from it's shadows and into the light of mercy. Let the sweet fragrance of love fill me and I breath in it's scent. The healing power of God's grace heals my brokeness and allows me to respond with love and grace to others around me. I have got to let go of anger and resentment and cling to the mercy of grace and love.

With that truth brought an inner peace that I have not felt in a long long time. I began to hear the words of this song in my spirit for the rest of the day. It's truth was a new song in my heart and is cleansed my soul.

Wordless Wed

2010-06-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

For my wordless Wed. I am honoring my parents who celebrated 36 years of marriage on Monday. These are pictutres of my brothers and I growing up.
We were 10, 8 and 6 here!

18, 16 and 14 here! 1995!

This one was from three years ago. 30,28 and 26!

This is sad that this is the most recent of us and our spouses. This was at our 80s birthday party on Feb.

My Daddy

2010-06-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

My Daddy

For feature Friday I am writing about my hero, my daddy. First, off I am sick at my stomach because I can not find my favorite picture of my dad and me. It is of me giving him a kiss in the front seat of his old blue pick up truck. I am two or three years old and he is wearing his white felt cowboy hat. (It was the 70s and that was the style.) I am hoping that it is at my parents house. The top picture is of him giving me my diploma at graduation because he was on the school board at the time. The second one was at my wedding. It is the best picture we got together. My photographer was one of my biggest regrets of my wedding but that is for another post. You can still see how handsome he is in this picture.

When I was growing up I always thought my daddy was the best looking man I knew and I was going to marry someone just like him. He was a cowboy with his beautiful Stetson hats and boots. He picked out my name, Nocona just like the boots. He always said I was the most beautiful little girl in the world and needed a name that fit me and set me apart. He has always called me Precious or still greets me with a "hello beautiful daughter." Growing up he would put his thumb up to us and say, "Your Thumb Body."

Daddy always encouraged us that we were special and could do anything that we set our minds to. He was the most frustrated when we made excuses or let fear stop us from doing something we wanted to do. He was never angry at us for falling short he would get angry if we did not try our best. He was the best at making us laugh when we were hurt or disappointed. Now don't get me wrong he was no push over and was one of the strictest dads around. I could not wear a stitch of make up until the day I turned 13. Was not allowed to car date until the day I turned 16. He was a baptist deacon in the strictest form and I was not allowed to go to a school dance until the 8th grade prom and I had to fight to go to the after football game dances on Friday nights in highschool. I could not have a bikini until my Sr. year. I only got that because he used it as a bribe to get me to try to enjoy or summer vacation that I did not want to go on. There were times I was sent back up stairs to change my shorts because they were too short.

But, he was fun. He embarrassed me in Jr. high by dancing in the car to, James Brown's "I Feel Good." Then as he would drop me off in parking lot he would honk and wave yelling "bye Nocona" out the window. He honked over bridged when he was driving to keep the trolls from coming out from underneath. When we were little my mother quit letting him come with us to the grocery store because he would pop wheelies with the basket and get us way to hyper in the store. I think that was his plan all along.

In highschool he had names for all of the guys I dated. The Weasel, the Ugly One, The Little Guy, Smiley, even the drum major I dated was the "Head Band Nerd." He has always called Darin, Derwood. (From Bewitched). He was the dad that cleaned his gun while a guy was over watching a movie once. He reminded one that he was a hunter and shot things. He would send my brothers out to wait for me on the porch when I was coming home from a date.

My dad says he is practical. My mother and I call him cheep. I wanted to go to a private Christian school and I got the talking to of comparing 65 cent black coffee from the gas station to an expensive late from Starbucks. It was still coffee. But, I eventually got to go to UMHB and graduated with out debt because he provided us with one degree on him. He was my encourager to finish school and see it through when school was hard for me. He was also the one who would point out the pink Cadillac when we would see them. Even as a teenage he would tell me about Mary Kay. My daddy is a salesman and has always been the top for whatever company he worked for. I have learned so much from him. He taught me that attitude was everything and he reminds me to keep emotions out of sales. Growing up when my attitude got bad I had to read, Zig Zigglar's How to Win Friends and Influence People, and Florence Lithour's Silver Boxes. Growing up if we spoke ugly to each other or negative he would always say "What did you have to gain by that?" I found myself repeating that to my son the other day. One day my mother was listening to me talk to a customer as I upgrading the sale closed it. She told me when I got off that I sounded just like my dad. That was the biggest compliment I could have gotten. Last year when I was really working my Mary Kay business my dad gave me the loan to purchase my inventory. He was the first one I called when I won my car and earned my first diamond ring. He is the one that advised me not to take the Pontiac G6 and go for the cash option because it was not the Cadillac yet. One of my greatest motivations to finishing directorship to get to hear that he is proud of me. I can't wait to pick up my first Pink Cadillac and drive it over to his house. I love my husband with all of my heart. But, I had a hard time when I got married. I did not want to change my last name because I always wanted to be known as a Helm girl and for people to know that I was Steve Helm's daughter. My daddy has given my brother's and I a legacy of a strong foundation of Jesus Christ, with an instilled belief of confidence that we can do anything. He was and is the greatest Daddy in the world. (Now he has just added greatest Grandpa to that too.)

Wordless Wed-Girlfriends

2010-06-16T05:38:00.000-07:00

I love group shots of Girlfriends

I look forward to lots of pictures of my girls with their friends.

Wordless Wed.

2010-06-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

Enjoying eating at Daddy's store! I thought the colors in these two pictures were pretty.

Weight Loss

2010-06-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Since November I have lost 25lbs. I had it gone by January and thought I would be well on my way to the 130 lbs. I wanted to be by now. I have not lost anything since January! I started working out to kick it into gear and still have been bouncing back and forth with the same three pounds. I realized that I quit eating as clean when I started working out. I began to have "cheat meals" all weekend and some during the week. Because I was working out I was not gaining though. But, there is nothing like bathing suit shopping to give you the reality check you need to jump back on the diet bandwagon. With each child I would lose back to my start weight and get pregnant again before I could go further. So, now that we are done having kids I am more determined to get to the weight I want to be. My new goal is to lose these last 20 lbs. by the end of July. I wanted to show the progress that I have seen to motivate me into not eating the cheese stick that is my fridge calling me name or the Whataburger I am tempted to have my husband bring home for me tonight at midnight. Here is the picture that started my weight loss journey. I bought this dress last summer and it was big. Then by the time the wedding came in the fall it barely zipped up! I had to squeeze into my Spanks and hope that the back fat was not hanging over too badly. After I saw these pictures I drew the line in the sand a went on a diet.

I am so excited because the ones of me today I did not have to wear the spanks and I my stomach still looks smaller. I am so excited and motivated to finish the last 20 lbs.

This picture is one of my favorites of my friends and I. But I don't even recognize my face in it. Look at my sister in law at the far left and her awesome back and arms. My motivation was that I wanted to look like that! She has worked hard and lost over 20 lbs. too in the last year. I thought if she can do it and look this good then why can't I. This picture was also from November. The other picture is one of me and my husband taken last month. The red shirt was one that has been hanging in my closet for over a year and I could not bring myself to wear it in public. It is comparing these two pictures of my face I see that eating better is worth it! I can't wait to post before and after pictures in July when I am at my goal weight.

Wordless Wed.

2010-06-02T05:57:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wed.

Happy Monday

2010-05-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Cute video that was featured on JB and Sandy tonight.

Feature Friday-My Mother

2010-05-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

Feature Friday-My Mother

Today I will feature the lady that gave me the big blue eyes, (Although mine are greener) and my passion for pink, my mother. Sometimes it is hard to write about those closest to you because it is so very personal. My mother is that teacher that all the kids want to be in her classroom when they are in 2nd grade and who they write about then they are seniors reminiscing on their favorite teacher. She even had a parent publish a story about her because she was her hero. My mother is an advocate for the learning disabled children because she dealt with two of her own. She is very good at explaining to the parents what their child is going through and helping them deal with the emotions that comes with finding out your child is not the "perfect student". She was my brother's and my advocate when it came to dealing with the schools and getting us our accommodations.

When I was growing up my mother was a stay at home mom. I think she was happiest then. She did not have a car during the day and I don't know how she did it. She was the room mom, the PTA mom and volunteered for the kids department at our church. Again, I am not sure how she did it all. She was very creative with entertaining us because there was not a lot of money for extras when we were little. One day when we got home from school she had turned our swing set into a pirate ship by hanging sheets over it. Then in the front she had pulled my dad little silver boat for us to slide down the slide into. Across the front of the boat she leaned two old tires and they were spray painted red & white. (Why we had tires in our back yard I don't know and I swear we did live in a junked up yard.) I did not have a Barbie house, so we used books to create one. She sewed my clothes and made all of our Halloween costumes. When I was a kid the store bought Halloween costumes were cheep plastic covers that tied around your back with then plastic masks. Those would just no do for us; ours were way fancier than that. My favorite was the year I was a car hop, just like on the cover of American Graffiti. I also grew up singing with my mother. We sang at Christian Women's Club events and at church. This was until we would argue about who was going to be the one who would sing the harmony. (I am still a better alto now.)

My mother took care of all of the details of my life. Even as a freshman in high school I would go to get ready for the football games and my dance uniform would be laid out on my bed with all of the coordinating pieces. I am not that mom. My I get frusterated with keeping up with all of my song’s baseball uniform. I loved prom dress shopping every year. Especially my Jr. Year when she talked my dad into letting me get the green sequined mermaid dress that was way over the budget that was set. She helped make every details of prom special. She packed an after prom picnic for my date and I, with sparkling cider and homemade chocolate covered strawberries for. Then after each dance no matter what time I got home she wanted to hear all of the details of the night. She wanted to know what people wore, what they said about my dress. She loved the romantic details of my teen years. Looking back now I get that she was checking in on what I had been up to, but it never felt like that. It was like telling a girlfriend about these special moments. Each year we had the swimsuit fight because my father's rule was no two pieces. Finally, my Sr. year she made my dad take me shopping so he could deal with it, since it was his rule. Then she was mad because he took me to Academy and let me get a two piece she would have been in trouble buying for me. Now she buys my girls bathing suits, half the time they are two piece suits. Totally not fair!

My great grandparents lived on a farm and my mother had the best childhood memories of growing up playing on the farm when she would stay with them in the summer. She does things now to create those types of memories for my kids. She has a huge Santa collection that she puts out every Christmas. Her back yard is one of their favorite places to be. She has a wooden playscape and had a pit put around it so she could fill it with pea gravel. Just like the pea gravel she played in at Granny and Pa's house.

I credit my mother for my need to make all things beautiful. Our love for pink roses, bright colors and all things shinny and gaudy is what we share. But I prefer to use the term, "whimsical". She always had her hair fixed and did not leave the house without her makeup on. Her closet is full of a bright colored wardrobe, much like mine. Although my mother can decorate and make flower arrangements and I can only give my opinion. I can come up with beautiful creative ideas but it is lost in the execution. Her mums that she made each year were prettier and fancier than any store bought ones. She made my wedding beautiful and being 19 at the time, I let her. Our only wedding fight was that I wanted my bride's maids to come into Tara's Theme from Gone With the Wind. She thought it would break up the flow of a very religious ceremony. My dad settled it by suggesting I leave to Tara's theme at the end of the ceremony and it was perfect. She also threw us the best birthday parties on small budgets. She was so creative. The best one that some of my friends still talk about was, the Cabbage Patch birthday. Every guest got a picture frame and she took pictures of each of us with our faces in the cabbage leaves like the Cabbage Patch logo. It was the prettiest frilliest birthday party a little girl could imagine. I get that from her too.

I came to the conclusion a long time about and released the standard a long time ago when I became a mother. I am not my mother. She was happiest when she had her babies at home with her. She kept up with everything around the house and all of our schedules. I felt the walls closing it when I first got to stay at home with my kids. The week I did not have a car at home I thought someone was going to die. Please don't ask me to teach children's Sunday school or lead the children's choir like my mother did. I found out I am not the mom my mother was.

I would not trade my mother for anyone else's mom because she is mine. I credit my drive and confidence to my father but my beauty and heart were placed there by my mother. I am the woman, the mother, and the wife because of the mother that God gave me.

Thankful Thursday

2010-05-06T06:49:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have done a Thankful Thursday. I was reminded in my quiet time that God blesses a grateful heart. I have been walking in an attitude of being grateful for all the Lord does for me but I need to stay in the habit of doing it on my blog.

First off, I am thankful for my new church home. It is not really new but Darin and I just rejoined it. I went to this church at a teen and have wanted to go back there for awhile. God released us from where we were and now I get to worship in a place that we chose. When your husband is a minister you don't always get to pick a place that meets your needs. We have always gone to a place to serve and just made the best of where the church was different than what we liked. It was usually the worship or being in church planting where we were portable and having to make everything come together every Sunday. Manchaca Baptist Church has always been one of my favorite places to worship and it is only getting better since they started the contemporary service. My brother's and their wives are there along with a lot people I grew up with. When Darin has to work on Sundays it is not big deal to go to church alone and it is not the lonely feeling that I have experienced in the past. I am truly thankful for my church home.

I am thankful for the blessings of my business! God is bringing some of the most awesome women for me to work with. I have done more than I ever have before facialing 90 women in 90 days and working for 150 by the end of June. My team and I are on track to becoming our own unit again which will triple the income I am bringing in now. I feel stronger than I have before in my business. God has breathed a confidence in me like I never have walked in before. I think it is because I know in my heart that I am doing everything I know I need to be doing. I am getting up early and my schedule is more disciplined. I am working the business the way Mary Kay has advised us to and not looking for a short cut. I am disciplined in my bible study and prayer life like never before. I am eating right and working out. There is really not a "secret sin" creeping around that I know I am walking in disobedience in. That has not always been that way in the past. It has really brought a since of freedom to my life. That in its self is something I am hugely thankful for.

I am thankful for Darin's promotion to a new store, even if is on the UT campus and we are Aggies. He will sport the burnt orange for this promotion. He is happy like I have not seen in a long time.

I am thankful for the YMCA here. I love my Pilates and Zumba classes. It has been neat to meet an entirely group of new people. I am training to run a half marathon in October. I never thought it was something I wanted to do but now I am excited about doing something I have never accomplished before and was unsure if I could do. I am also running a 5K in June in Austin. One of my new friends at the YMCA sent me the information about a Twilight fan run on June 26th. Doesn't that sound like fun?

I am thankful that baseball is almost over and we only have two more games. One less thing on my plate to keep up with and we have not been too thrilled with the league here. But we have met some new people that we enjoyed playing with this season and Dalton's coach has been excellent.

There are so many things to be thankful for when we look for them. God has so richly blessed us; even in the face of trials we are blessed.

Top Two Tuesday!

2010-05-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

Top Two Splurges

1. Getting my nails done and a pedicure! I have not had either of these is a while but when the budget is back to normal this is one of the 1st things I'll do!

2. Starbucks Coffee-White Chocolate Mocca with a shot of caramel and whipped cream on top. Totally not in the budget or on the diet right now!

Miss Madison Rae is 3!!!!

2010-05-03T14:27:00.000-07:00

She has changed so much in three years!

ZUMBA!

2010-04-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

So I started Zumba this last week. Zumba is an exercise class that includes Latin dancing. It was a blast but, wow am I uncoordinated! In my mind I am a hot sexy dancer that moves like Beyonce with her long beautiful legs. But, after this class I realize I am just as uncoordinated like Kate Gosslin on Dancing With the Stars and totally out of my league. But, it was fun and the time flew by. Unlike the time I tried a kick boxing class at the YMCA, where all I could do was watch the clock and wait for it to be over. This was a total body work out that I did not realize I had gotten until about an hour later. There were all shapes and sizes and ages of women. The instructor was not even a really skinny lady. I think that would make me even more insecure about this class. She is just an average size lady with a big huge smile that totally loves what she is doing. Her facial expressions as she did each dance move made me love the class even more. At first I could not get past how self conscious and uncoordinated I felt. It reminded me of the 1st days of drill team when I felt out of place and a step behind everyone else. The more nervous I was the further I fell behind. Finally the instructor yelled out over the great music to just feel it and go with the music. When I loosened up and just had fun it did get easier. I watch ladies stand at the door and watch as the class goes on with smiles but afraid to try. Several friends have said that they would love to try it but are afraid to do so. It is way out of their comfort zone. That is a sad statement for me. I don't want to let fear get in the way of what I think might be fun to try because I am too self conscious. I discovered after my third class that it is getting easier. It brings a smile to my face as I do it. As adults I think we have forgotten that life is supposed to be fun. You can bring fun to anything. Yes, be responsible and disciplined but smile and have fun. I am now a huge Zumba fan.

Walking on Water

2010-04-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

I am so inspired right now. It is a wonderful feeling to be back in the zone and inspired again. It has been a long dry year but I feel like I am back! Last year at this time I was blowing and going in my Mary Kay. I earned my 1st free car and my team and I did over $10,000 in production in the month of April last year. We were on track to becoming our own unit and were tracking the next level car for directors. I earned my biggest commission check. I was kicking butt and taking names! It was awesome! Then the bottom began dropping out. The church could not afford to pay Darin his salary and we had to give up our house. We were renting at the time and decided to not resign our lease in June. July 1st we moved into our friends home to house sit for two months. We ended up living at my parent’s house until November. Darin since has totally stepped away from ministry and gone back to work for Whataburger. This is not a bad thing for us right now. He is taking a break and God has provided a wonderful opportunity for him in this job with a lot of potential for advancement. We have gone back to the established church and joined a Baptist church, which a year ago I said I would never do. Each of these things is a post or has been a post of their own for a later date. Today I am so excited because over the year slowly God has restored all that was lost in my business and we are submitting strong to become our own unit in Mary Kay. To all of you reading our there outside the pink bubble that means I will triple my income and can go on target for the Pink Cadillac! Being a director in Mary Kay is being in the top 3% of the company. You are given 4 months of qualification time but we are doing it in one month! That is we will be a ONE MONTH WONDER UNIT!!! The end of the Seminar year is June 30th and I want to be a director by then! I have been studying Excuses Be Gone. Wonderful book. But he talked about in the book each night feeding your dream. So many times we feed the fear and let our brains ponder the "ifs" and all the things that could go wrong. But what if we took the time to feed the dream and the "what ifs" that can be gained? It takes seeing it, tasting it and feeling it to keep you stepping out on faith. He suggested you take 30 minutes before you go to bed each night and dream and feed your brain all the good your goal will bring. See yourself doing it. Imagine it and then let it stew all night long for the time that you sleep. Imagine what you can unlock in your brain if you would just ponder the good and not the fear. Music has always been the water to my inner soul. So I got my Iphone and began playing the song, Time of my Life, by David Cook. Love that song. But my life song is by Set the World on Fire, Britt Nicole. LOVE HER! When I was flipping through YouTube I found her newest song. Walk on Water. I began to cry. My unit name is the W's which stands for Water Walkers. The story of Peter walking on water is my favorite story. After reading the book, If You want to Walk on Water you Have to Get Out of the Boat, I chose my future unit name from it. This song is too perfect! God is so good to show us things and encourage us when we seek Him!
Listen to this awesome song!

Top Two Tuesday.

2010-04-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

Top 2 Tuesday! Favorite Things about Summer.

If you want to link up and play a long with the Taylor's top Two Tuesday click on her button above. Her blog is a beautiful fun blog to check out.

My favorite two things about summer are....

In July I get to go to Mary Kay's Seminar. It is why I joined the company and my absolute favorite thing about the company. I love being around all the women and my girlfriends from other states. I love the way we invade Dallas and being apart of the culture of Mary Kay in such a huge way. But the best thing about is getting to dress up for awards night. Last year was the best. I got to be in the Queen's Court of Sales as part of the big awards night the company puts on. It was like getting to be in a beauty pageant.

My second part is getting to watch my kids learn how to swim and the ways we get to play during the summer. I love staying out late at night and not having to rush off the bed for bed times. Celebrating the 4th of July. Then going to all of the great summer movies that come out for kids and the time they spend at grandma's house and Aunt Wee's house spending the night.

My mother is going to love that I put a picture of her in the pool on my blog.

Getting to Know You Sunday Night

2010-04-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

I am participating tonight with Keeley again with her Sunday Night Getting to Know You. It has been a crazy weekend. I had Dalton's 8th birthday party in the middle of a rainy weekend. I had to change locations from outside to inside at the last minute and change all that I had planned. Birthday parties are important and I will always have them for my kids but I wish they did not stress me out like they do. Thank goodness for my family that came to the party and helped me. Darin luckily has the day off for Dalton's party. There are not many Saturdays that we get to have him home. But, as we got ready for church this morning he was called into the store 4 hours early and the kids and I had to go to church on our own this morning. I am thankful that I go to church with my brothers and their wives. It makes the Sundays where I am a single mom much easier. After church I hosted a Scentsy party for my friend Heather, who just started her business. It made for a crazy weekend. This is welcomed fun post as I gear up for another busy week.
The questions..
1. Men’s chests..hairy or hairless?

Hairless. I like clean shaven, clean cut baby faced men. Just look at the picture of my preacher boy husband.

2. How often do you run red lights?

I try not to. But I am known to run many yellow ones.

3. If you could raid any celebrity's closet..whose would you raid?

Victoria Beckam's or Tori Spelling. I would also love to raid Tori Spelling's closet for my girls too.

4. Would you rather have more followers/friends on Facebook, Twitter, or your Blog?

It's a tossup between facebook and my blog. Facebook I prefer for it to be people that I have a personal relationship with or knew from my past history. On my blog I love expanding my circle to people who I have never met and inviting them into my world. (But only if they leave comments.) I hate writing a heartfelt piece on my blog and have no comments on it. To me it's like having a conversation with someone and it being one sided.

5. What makes you feel sexy?

1. A slammin sexy pair of higheals, a short business skirt with hose and well fitting jacket.

2. A great fitting pair of slim fit boot cut jeans, a great pair of boots

3. Moving from a size 14 jean to a size 8 and quickly moving to a size 6.

6. I get excited when...........?
A. I reach a goal that I set.
B. When I see the work of God and it is even more exciting when I get to be a part of it.
C. When I see my kids accomplish something they have set out to do.

7. Are you the "outdoorsy" type or more "indoorsy"?
I love being in the sunshine outside. I love moving the lawn and working in the yard. But I have never been camping nor desire too. I need running water for a shower every night and a soft bed to sleep in with a good fan or air conditioning.

8. Would you rather have your dream home or a million dollars?
That is a hard one to answer. I would love my dream home but not if I did not have the money to pay for it. Or you could have your dream home and not be able to afford anything else. So, I guess I would have to say a million dollars. Like the song, "If I had a million dollars (echo) If I had a million dollars....I'd be rich."

Feature Friday-My Grandparents

2010-04-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

Today for my feature Friday I am featuring all four of my grandparents. Growing up I lived in the town beside all four of them. I also had three of my great grandparents until I was in College. Granny and Pa lived on a farm and we would go see them once a month. Grandmother lived in a retirement home in the same town as my grandparents. I would go and spend the night with her. She taught me to make chains with her yard and play dominoes. She thought Carol Burnet was tacky but would watch her Soaps.

First off I will tell you about Mom and Dad Helm, my dad’s parents. When my oldest cousin was born they thought they were too young to be called grandparent names so we called them Mom and Dad. It has been that way ever since. When I was a little girl I would call them on a Friday afternoon to inform them that when my daddy got home I was spending the night. My grandmother is from Puetrico and has lived in the states since she was in her 20's and has never lost her accent. She would scrub us down when we were little like we had not been bathed in a week. She would always tell me how pretty I was and as I got older it was followed by asking how much I weigh. She is a mess but we love her. It is funny to make her laugh because she has the best laugh that is full and uninhibited. Dad is the caretaker. But this sweet man who is so good hearted unless you put down his Texas Aggies or his Democrats. He has his doctorate from Texas A&M and we learned not to take him to a Tech game or a UT game. He almost got into a fist fight at Tech one year because one of the fans kept talking about stupid Aggies. Now that one of my cousins is a starter for Texas Tech they have changed their tune. He now has traded his maroon and white for the black and red. We don't talk politics at his house. I learned that the hard way when I talked about how much I loved George Bush. So we don't talk about our different opinions of Obama. My favorite memory is that he has pictures with all of his grandkids holding us above his head and kissing us when we were about two. He calls me Precious, or "Nokinoke" to this day. He loves to rock babies. When each of my kids were born mom would announce, "Awe they look like one of my kids. These are Helm babies." People will ask me who Dalton looks like and if you look at pictures of him and my grandmother you will see it. When we go see them my girls beg him to take them on a ride in his golf cart. I can always count on my birthday at around 9 pm that I will be getting a phone call with them singing "Happy Birthday" to me.

Nana & Granddad are my mother's parents. They were school teachers and retired to be farmers. They have always been very conservative, hard working staunch Church of Christ people of the great depression. They loved it when I married a Baptist minister. Nana can sew beautiful quilts and outfits. We just argue about the patterns. She does not understand that some of her patterns are out of style and has always told me, "That just does not matter." She is so practical. My mother said she always had shirts that matched the kitchen curtains growing up. You just have to check everything she has sewn for pins. She forgets and leaves them in everything. My wedding ring quilt she made me had all pieces from outfits she had made me growing up. She used to paint and write. I love to get emails from her. I saved most of the handwritten letters she wrote me. She loves to tell stories of her life growing up on the farm in the great depression. They are really neat to listen to how much life has changed. She loves to rock a baby to sleep. My kids call her "Little Nana" because my mom is Nonna too. Granddad has always taken care of things for us. I will never forget the Thanksgiving last year when he drove up in a White Explorer and Nana was driving his truck. He got out and asked me to get into the car with him. As we were driving he asked me if I liked it. I said yes and he told me, "Well it is yours. I think a Soccer Mom needs a good soccer mom car." His neighbor was going to sell it and he wanted something bigger for me to drive with my three babies. I was so excited! I love that car! He and Nana love their grandchildren and great grand children. My kids are so lucky to have all of their grandparents still living and 4 great-grandparents.

Top Two Tuesday

2010-04-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

Top Two Tuesday

Top Two Beauty Secrets

I am excited to write about this topic. I don't have any home made treatments. But, being the Mary Kay lady on here I do have two favorite products.

Mary Kay's Day and Night Solution

I love these two products. The Night Solution goes into your skin and repairs the daily damage to your skin and restores it while you sleep. It has pure vitamins you are putting into your skin as you sleep.

The day solution is my veil of defence throughout the day. It has an SPF 25 and helps witn not only the cancer causing damage of the sun but the ageing damage that the sun does to my skin.

Microdermabraision Set

This product I use twice a week. It makes my face feel so fresh and soft. I love how my makeup feels after I have done one of these treatments. My skin just does not feel as clean if I don't keep up with this.

Wordless Wed. My 8 Year Old

2010-04-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

I can't beleive I have an 8 Year old! Time is moving so fast. Dalton James Koenig entered our lives 8 years ago today and has entertained us ever since.

On the day of his baptism.

Oh what a day!

2010-04-05T20:53:00.000-07:00

Today was a day that makes you want to start and start over! We had such an awesome Easter and wonderful church service only to wake up to a hard Monday. First, off Itoday was a day I was struggling with PMS so bad emotionally that it literally made me doubt my salvation. Yesterday, I could have charged hell with a water gun and today I am running for the hills and wanting to hide. (Not standing in the judgment seat against Elijah anymore.) Dalton has to go to the eye doctor again and I had to fork out another co pay of $70! For the third time in 2 weeks! (Not to mention the $40 eye medicine.) I am not complaining about having to take him I am complaining about having insurance and still having to pay that much. Plus, his birthday is Wednesday and it has kind of snuck up on us. I had to add that into the budget. This is after my husband stepped down from his second job because they could not afford to pay him anymore but would love for him to volunteer to do it for free. We lost $1,200 a month coming into our already stretched budget. After the doctor's appointment and grocery shopping I came home to a tired and cranky husband who was leaving for work in 30 minutes. But, on the bright side today was pay day at his job. So, I load all of the kids back into the car and go back into Austin to pick up his check from work so I can get it into the bank before 4:00 PM so nothing bounces. Then come home to pay bills. We have had an adjustment to his new job being paid every Monday instead of every two weeks. The learning curve on budgeting this way has been difficult. I was depressed after having to pick which bills would go late so we could cover the groceries that I had bought. Feeling the weight and strain pressing in on me, I was trying not to take a deep breath and put things in prospective. I tried to work on Mary Kay stuff and see what I could pay out of my account. Only to discover I have over $200 in outstanding orders those customers need to pay me for and have not. MORE stress! So I did the Scarlett O'Hara thing and pushed the money stress to the side and said to myself, "I will think about that tomorrow..." I started supper and tried to get baseball gear gathered for Dalton's game. The thought of dragging all three kids by myself to a 7:15 game was looming over me. Plus, it was my night to bring drinks. I gathered things and asked the kids to start picking up and Dalton called out to me. "Mom where's my glove?" Now this is a sore subject with me. Dalton would lose his head if it was not attached to him and he is notorious for throwing things everywhere. I have a bat bag for him to avoid this problem. All the baseball gear goes in the bat bag so that we don't forget things or lose them on game day. But, Dalton wanted to play catch outside and threw the glove somewhere. Dalton’s idea of searching and looking for something was totally different from mine. Finding it in the toy room floor behind the curtains was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I took a time out and hid in my bathroom and cried. I felt defeated, alone and hopeless. I had a good pity party going with deep thoughts of how life was not fair to me running through my head. I could not eat dinner I was so sick to my stomach and began to gather snacks for the girls to eat at the game and coloring books to keep them entertained. We began to load up things in the car and that is when it happened......

I saw a snake slithering up the side walk in front of my house. I HATE SNAKES! They terrify me and I wanted it nowhere near my house. Darin was not home. I wanted it dead. I ran next door to get my neighbor. I knew he had a garden hoe and I wanted him to kill it. He said, "I'll fight a grizzly bear for you, but I don't do snakes." He got the hoe out of his garage and came to investigate. The snake was gone. He combed the yard and it was no where. I had just relaxed a little and was putting kids in the car seats when he called out, "There it is! It's under your front tire!" I squealed and jumped back! My exposed feet and ankles tingling. I jumped into the front seat of my car and backed up so he could get to it. I watched him fight that little snake. It snapped its head up at him to strike and he came down on it killing it in two blows. Dalton thought it was the coolest thing ever. The look on my neighbors face was priceless. I don't know who was more shaken him or me. I told him he was my hero and the kids and I owed him something baked. I got to the baseball game, found a good parking spot only to realize in the excitement I had left the drinks for the team at home! At that point I just had to laugh. I dropped Dalton off with his coach and turned around for the drinks. On the drive home God revealed himself to me. Just like that little snake striking out was scary it was nothing compared to big garden hoe that struck its head off. Our problems seem so big but we have someone that is waiting to overcome them! They are small to God, like that snake was to my neighbor.
Luke 10:19 says,
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."
My bills, my stress and yes even my PMS is as small in God's plan as that small snake. At that moment of realization I was empowered and strengthened again.

Your Beautiful

2010-04-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

On Friday night I rented the Princess and the Frog for the kids and me to watch. Darin was working late and I wanted to do something fun with them. I had my reservations about the Princess and Frog but after watching it I really liked. I will leave my reviews for another post. As we watched the movie Madie ended up in the chair beside me. When it came to the end of the movie when the cute little firefly died, (sorry if that is a spoiler for anyone who has not seen it yet.) I heard this little sob leak from beside me. I looked down at her in the dark and she was crying. I cupped her little face in mine and asked her, "What's the matter? Did you get scared?" She looked up at me with big tears streaming down her cheeks and sobbed between big breaths, "Ray-mond! He died. Da shadow-man keelled h-h-him." Her mouth turned down in a terrible frown and has she cried. It broke my heart. She has never responded like this to movies. I was surprised that my two year old understood death. I could not explain that the little firefly becomes a star and gets to be with his true love forever in the end. She buried her head in my chest and was inconsolable even after the movie was over. It was kind of a sad passage that my baby was growing up. In that understanding her childlike innocence was slipping away and I could not always protect her from life's harsh realities. Death. Death is one of life's hard lessons that are difficult for even adults to handle. I still have all my grandparents still living and had three great grandparents until I was in college. Death is a reality that I have not had to face often and I try not to ponder very often. It scares me at times. It makes me feel vulnerable to think about losing someone I love. Life is hard and the separation and finality of death can be crushing. But, today on Easter Sunday we celebrate life, and the power of the resurrection of Jesus and his final defeat over the sting of death. At church today we closed with this song and it was beautiful. It was a new favorite of mine and new to people at church. One of the verses in the song says,

When we arrive at eternity’s shore

Where death is just a memory and tears are no more

\We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring

Your bride will come together and we’ll sing

Your Beautiful, Your Beautiful!

When it started people were sitting and listening. When it was over people were all standing worshiping and there was a holy reverence all over the church. It ended accapella with just the voices of the worshipers. It gives me chills just thinking about it. Death is not to be feared, with Jesus it is beautiful. There will come a day where there is not death and no more tears. There will be a day where the worship of our beautiful savior will be like none other that we have ever experienced in this life.

The Wonderful Cross

2010-04-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

I love this song. On this Easter Season I had to make myself pause and ponder Easter. Our life has gotten really crazy lately. Darin is up for a promotion at his new job and he has had to work long hours to show that he is ready for it. I have been working long hours with my job trying to meet the qualifications to move up in my company and with three kids it has been CRAZY! With school, church and baseball season kicking off I feel pulled in so many different directions. Easter is more that dress shopping and shoe shopping and getting Easter baskets ready. I just had to stop and take a minute to breathe. Breathe in God's goodness and peace while pondering the reality of the cross.

What does it mean to me? A couple of years ago I was shopping in Fredericksburg with my sister-in-laws and one of our other friends. We were having a girl’s day. (Which reminds me. We need another one of those soon!) Let me explain the difference in my sister-in-laws and me for this story to make sense. I am a Texas gal. Big hair, bright clothes and I love BLING. I am a zebra print and hot pink kind of gal. My SILs are very Pottery Barn style. They are very elegant and minimal with their styles. Now we all love jewelry but our tasted are completely different. So we were in a jewelry story in Fredericksburg and I found some of the prettiest big crosses to wear on necklaces. They had all stones, all sizes and all colors. I was so excited and could not pick which one I liked the best. My SIL laughed and said, "Yes those are you. I just can't bring myself to wear the cross like that. It is beautiful on you but feel sacrilegious to me." She did not mean it judgmental and I did not take it that way. (It did make me stop and ponder because on my shopping list for the day was a shirt with a bedazzled cross on the front, like they sell in Fredrick berg.) It has been a joke between us since then. The next year for Christmas, she got me a gift card to my favorite store, Hannah D's. In honor of her I purchased a big teal and bling cross and a pink ball cap with a cross on the front in jewels. But I have thought about her statement since then. Why do I wear the cross and am I personally convicted that I wear it for fashion. I collect crosses too and have them in every room of the house. I am not debating whether we should wear the cross or not decorate our houses with it. But ponder what the cross means. I want my children to know what it means and what it means to me. "Oh the Wonderful, Cross. Oh the Wonderful Cross. Bids me come and die, and find that I might truly live. Oh the Wonderful, Cross. Oh the Wonderful Cross. All who gather here by grace draw near and bless your name." I am humbled by the sacrifice of the cross and am nothing apart from it. It is the visualization of the amount of love Jesus lavished upon me, paying my debts with his own life. It is power of his resurrection that flows through me to live a life above fear. I think that my personality is just bigger and the bigger the cross around my neck or in my house just is my way of expressing the love I have for my King in my own way.

Oh Jesus. Thank you for the Wonderful Cross. Thank you for enduring a shame that was never yours to carry. Let me live my life in a way that is worthy of that sacrifice and the love that you lavish upon me.

Wordless Wed.- Music

2010-03-31T06:43:00.000-07:00

This is one of my new favorite songs. It reminds of me of one of the songs I think should be included in the Twilight soundtrack for Twilight or Eclipse for the meadow scenes. I want my friend Kim to use it in her wedding.

Top Two Tuesday! 2 Random facts.

2010-03-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

2 Random things About Me

Let me think of some things that I my readers may not know about me because I have not blogged about it before. I can't talk about my obsession with all things Twilight. I need to post a picture of my new hairdo. It is very Alice! I talk a lot about my goals with Mary Kay and my drive for constant drive for self improvement. Most of you know that I am girlie and love all things pink! So let me think......

I am a reader! I love books. There is nothing betting than getting lost in a story and looking forward to getting back to a book when you have to put it down. I try to read good books before the movie comes out. My son and I are on the third Harry Potter book. Each night we are reading a chapter and he looks forward to it as much I do. I love that he loves reading as much as I do. Darin is a reader too. I love that about him. One of my favorite date nights we had was just sitting by each other in complete silence with the windows open in our room reading in silence. I was lost in the world of Forks and he was riding the range in Texas lost in a Zane Grey book. (If we had, had another boy he would have been named Zane after Zane Grey.) We decided that all of our pets would be named after story characters we loved. Our first dog was named Scarlett. We are saving for a new dog to get this summer and the kids and I know she will be named Bella. The Twilight series has been an awesome read! I loved reading The Other Bolynne Girl and all of the books by this author about the Tutor reign in England and their Queens. Historical fiction is awesome! Sophie Kincella is another one of my favorite authors. Her Shopaholic series is so funny! But, by far Nicolas Sparks is my favorite! I just wish people did not have to die in all of his books. It is fun that a lot of my friends are readers too. We trade good books around and then talk about them. I am currently reading a new Francine Rivers book, Voices in the Wind. It is about the early persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. My favorite Francine Rivers book is, Redeeming Love. That book is a must read! I can't wait to start, Wicked, next. This is the story about the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz. I borrowed it from my sister-in-law and it is sitting on my desk waiting for me to dive in. I try to have a fiction book that I am reading and a nonfiction book for self-help. I am also reading Approval Addiction by Joyce Meyers. So that would mean I was currently reading 3 books right now. Dalton and I will finish Harry Potter and the Prisoner from Azkaban this week and can't wait to start, The Goblet of Fire. We hope to have read all of them before the next movie come out this summer.

My number 2 fact goes a long with reading. I have a learning disability and was told it would affect my reading. When I read Gone with the Wind in 6th grade they rethought that. It was discovered in college that I have S.S.S. I can't remember what it stands for but it is a light issue with my brain and eyes. I used the colored overlays in school to help me be able to read. Bright white paper that most tests and worksheet are written on was hard to read. I saw rivers of white in between the words and light sparkling off the paper. This is due to the florescent lighting that is used in schools. It was like looking at a 3D puzzle and waiting for the words to come out of the page so I could read them. Add testing anxiety or a time limit when in a testing situation in school and I could not do it. That made taking scantron test unbearable. I would miss sentences in directions that were printed out to assignments. It was like I never saw it on the page. One professor started highlighting the directions for me and taught me to do that for all my assignments so I would not miss important instructions. I even did that when I was teaching school and having to fill out important documents for testing students. When reading most other books they are not printed on bright white paper and I have no trouble. Plus, I love natural light as much as possible. I was given extra time on taking my ExCet tests for teaching. I was allowed to write directly on the tests with unlimited time and used my covered overlays. I was also given a separate testing room to eliminate distraction while reading. I was given my own bathroom pass to get up and leave the testing environment when I needed too. When your degree is in Special Education I knew who to write to and how to ask the official test givers for all of my testing accommodations. I took my SATs and TAAS test the same way when I was in school. I find people's little quirts with studying and test taking fascinating. Like, me needing to clean my house and have clean open spaces when studying in college so I can concentrate. That is if I did not opt to leave my house totally and go study outside. This is opposite when I compare to the way Darin use to study. In Seminary he would lay in our closest floor with his notes and books all around him. He needed a closed in space to be able to concentrate. It is one of the reasons I went into special education. If letting a kid sit on the floor to take a test in natural lighting makes him successful in school then I am glad there is such an easy fix to making a kid successful in school. So there are my two random facts.

Thankful Thursday!

2010-03-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

Is it Thusday already?!! Man this week has flown by. I getting ready for a trip to Dallas tomorrow and Saturday. I am so thankful for career conference. I get to be around all of my Mary Kay friends and I love it! I love what I get to do! Speaking of that I have a huge praise! I beat my own record of my highest class. It was over $1,000! Thank you to my sister-in-law Jenny for being my hostess! It was a blast and it was the first day of my work week. So I started the week off at $1000 in sales and am at $1200 already!(50% of it is my profit.) I am also thankful for my family that helps me with keeping my three kids. I have had some major adjustments to Darin's schedule being so crazy and unpredictable. I am thankful for the awesome girls that babysit. I have a list of 4 that my kids all love! I am thankful for revelation. I feel like I am in such a state of learning right now. Through my bible study and some books that I am reading. Through this journey with Mary Kay right now too. I am learning new truths about myself and overcoming things that I have struggled with all of my life. I am learning to embrace self-discipline and the freedom it is actually bringing me. God is so good to bring us into a closer walk with him and a higher place of living and he does it with such grace and love. Today I get to go be a hair model for my hairdresser, who is trying to change salons. I am getting a free haircut and color. I am so excited because she has to show what she can do so I am getting a fancy cut and funky highlights and color.

Lastly I am thinkful for my sweet thoughtful husband. He really loves to show his love for me through gifts. Last week he worked a crazy work week with a lot of crazy hours. He worked Friday night until midnight. At 12:30 I got a text that said I am bringing you a present. I thought,"Please don't let it be food." I was not hungry and I did not need a late night fatty snacks. When he got home he woke me up by tossing a small flat box on me in the dark. I woke up and turned on the light I saw that he had stopped at Walmart after he had gotten off work to pick up one of the first copies of New Moon the ultimate fan edition. He had researched his phone to find out the one that had the most extras on it. He pointed out as I opened it up, "this is the one with footage about shooting Eclipse and all the background of making the movie." I love this man! He is so thoughtful and thinks of the details. I mean he does not make fun of my Twilight addiction. He knows enough about the books to even know that Eclipse is being shot right now and it my favorite of all 4 books. He really rocks.

I was in my car yesterday and it just hit me how blessed I am.

Give Away and Public Opinion

2010-03-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

I found this Giveaway today and man I want this necklace. You can enter by going to this blog.
Blond Abition http://www.blondeambitionblog.com/2010/03/devon-baer-designs-and-giveaway.html
The designer's etsy shop link I have also listed. Oh my gosh I love her stuff!
Devin Bayer designs http://www.etsy.com/shop/dbaer?section_id=6452846

So, I have a question for those out there reading my blog today. What do you think of Kate Gosslin on Dancing With the Stars? I have very mixed feelings about her and I always have. At times I feel sorry for her and all that she has had to endure in the public eye. On the other,I think she was very ugly and hateful to her husband on their show and brought a lot on herself. Then again I do not know what it is like to have that many kids and can not comprehend what that kind of stress is. I can also only imagine what a TV camera would pick up in my house with the way I talk to my kids and husband at times. I did like how she handled some things in her daily routine and found it interesting. I do think that she is a good mom and loves her kids. That being said, I am not sure what I think of her being on this show. She is a mom who was on a reality TV show. How much of her fame has been her exploiting her childen? I know the show helped them pay for things they never would have been able to afford and I don't judge that. But now with the book tours and doing this show how much time is being taken away from her children. Plus she was terrible on Monday nights show. One judge even said, that she understood that she is not an actor or performer and that has come as a disadvantage to her. That is right! She is not a star. She is a mom that did a reality show on TLC! The mom in me is excited and thinks, "You go girl!" as she represents all of us moms out there. But then the other part of me feels like, "Your not a star! Go home and take care of your kids." Plus I heard on the radio about of all of the money she spent on plastic surgery to get ready for the show. Now again, I am not anti plastic surgery. I thought it was cool that a doctor donated his services to fix her stomach after carrying all of those babies. I mean someday I would like to have work done to fix somethings that pregnancy has done to my body. But she had her eyes done, cheeks done and other things to get ready for this show! She is only in her 30's! Why would she need all of this done? Plus I thought she looked great before she had additional work done. Again I think every woman should do things to make herself feel and look great and be the best that they can be. But how much is excessive? I don't know. I am very torn in how I feel and wondered what other's opinions are.

Top 2 Tuesday

2010-03-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

Top Two Tuesday!!! Two things I can't live with out......

I can only pick TWO?!!! I am having a hard time narrowing it down. 1st off I must put my Iphone! I did not think I needed one and my hubby surprised me with one for my birthday last year and now I could not live without it! I love having the internet on my phone! Plus all of the other apps. on it make life so much easier. One day I left it at home and I was lost.

The other is music. My Radio, my CD's, my Itunes. Music helps me calm down when I am stressed. It motivates me when I am feeling lazy. There are songs can inspire me when I have lost my vision. There are songs that are just fun and sweet and make me smile when I need it. There are songs that I hear and I am 16 driving in my car or at a highschool dance. Just listening to the 90's music station on my T.V. and in my mind, I have big bangs and size 6 jeans and I am doing my best running man in my livingroom. There are songs that remind me of the early days of when Darin and I were dating. I can hear "Dust on the Bottle" and I am in his blue Ford driving back to UMHB from Temple. When I feel distracted and far from God there are worship songs that usher me instantly into his pressence. When I sing I feel close to God and blessed. It realeases something inside of me that no other way can express the love I feel.

Third (Told you I could not do just three)
My Mary Kay! I do not leave home without make up on and I use my skincare twice a day. I just can't go with out it! I wear it to the gym even! Yes I am that girl! When I was an athlete growing up I still had my hair and makeup done.

Thankful Thursday!

2010-03-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

For Thanful Thursday I am linking up with Women Taking A Stand. You can click on the link below to see this awesome blog and link up with other Christian Women today.
http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/2010/03/thankful-thursdaywhat-are-you-wearing.html

I am thankful for....
* the awesome weather we are having for Spring Break this week! We only had one rainy day! It has been beautiful and I have gotten to open my windows.
* A husband that helps me. My house was a complete disaster yesterday and I was overwhelmed with cleaning it. There was so much that needed to be organized on top of cleaning. Plus with all three kids being home, were trashing it behind me as I went. We divided up the house and had it all done it two hours. He made it a game for the kids and got them to help.
* I also went through the girls drawers yesterday and put away all of the winter stuff, cleaned out the small stuff and got out the spring stuff. I realized how blessed I am. My friend Heidi-Anna has two girls older than mine and set us up with some beautiful clothes. Brighton will not need jeans or denim skirts for a long time. Plus my mom took the girls shopping for new sandals and they came home with some really cute clothes and three pairs of shoes. We will be doing Dalton's clothes today.
* I am thankful for my family! Sunday night we all went to my moms house and cooked out. My sister-in-law, Stephanie and I went to shopping and then came home and started cooking. Darin grilled. My brother Shane came and played in the back yard with the kids. We made a fire in the back yard and cooked smores. My brother & sister-in-law Stevie and Jenny came and played. Then we all cleaned moms kitchen together. It was so much fun. I love that we all live close to each other and how they are some of our best friends.
* I am thankful for my awesome customers. I had the terrible stomach flu last week and was in bed until Wed. It was the end of my quarter so I sent out text messages and emails telling people that I would be selling gift cards to use towards their purchases for the next year and it was a great way to stock up and save. I sold over $1000 in sales in 4 days! I could not have done that if I did not have awesome customers!

2010-03-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's Day Style

1. On a scale of 1-10, how superstitious are you, honestly?
0 I am not superstitious at all.

2. Julius Caesar is quoted as saying, "I came, I saw, I conquered." Which circumstance or experience of yours does this saying best describe?
Today it is my messy, terrible house that needs to be cleaned. With my Mary Kay goals it is becoming a director in the next three months because it is the final three months of our year.

3. If I peeked in on your day like a mischievous little leprechaun, at what time would I most likely find you blogging?
Early in the morning if I don't sleep in.

4. Re springing forward for Daylight Saving Time, is there anything you've ever been really early or really late for?
Church for both occassions.

5. What are you most looking forward to concerning Spring?
The colors of clothes and sandall season! Also getting to open up my windows more.

6. Shamrocks are the national flower of Ireland and are picked on St. Patrick's Day and worn on the lapel or shoulder. Do you wear green on St. Patty's Day?

Yes! I love any reason to dress differently and I love theme's.

7. One of Caesar's assassins, Casca, said, "But, for my own part, it was Greek to me," which of course means he didn't understand something. Probably his own lines in the play. Anyway, what is something that is "Greek to you," something incomprehensible or indecipherable?

Numbers, accounting and a lot of computer stuff.

8. Is March behaving more like a lion or a lamb where you live?

9. "An extra yawn one morning in the springtime, an extra snooze one night in the autumn is all that we ask in return for dazzling gifts. We borrow an hour one night in April; we pay it back with golden interest five months later." -Winston Churchill. If you had one extra hour per day every day, what would you do with it?

Read a good book.

10. Legend says that every Leprechaun has a pot of gold hidden deep in the Irish countryside. Aside from real gold or money, what material item would be in your dream pot of gold?
New spring clothes with jewelry and shoes to match

11. "The best things are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of God just before you." Robert Louis Stevenson. Look around you right now and tell us about something essential or beautiful very near you that you take for granted every dayMy three beautiful children even though they are fighting over the breakfast table right now.

12. Just for a bit o' fun, click here (www.blogthings.com/irishnamegenerator/) and then report your Irish name. Mine is Zoe O'Kelly

Top 2 Tuesday!

2010-03-16T06:47:00.000-07:00

Top 2 Favorite Celebrity Styles

Victoria Beckam

I LOVE her hair! I have had this cut for about two years and I want to go back to it. I love how sleek and stylish she always looks.

Tory Spelling

I love that she wears bright colors. She is a mom that balances her career with her kids. She is not just a celebrity that has kids but is a mom and a career woman. I have been inspired by seeing her loose the baby weight with both of her pregnancies.

Day 20!

2010-03-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

Day 20

todays challenge:

Can you believe it's almost the last day?

Here's what I want you to do today....

Make a list of all the things you loved about this challenge.

Make another list of all the things you HATED.

And then ponder why...

I enjoyed this journey. A lot of this has gone with my New Year's resolution and weightloss journey so it was not a huge stretch. Some days it was hard because I did not have time to blog and keep with with it. It does makes you think about taking opportunties everyday and making every day count. We waste so much time procastinating putting things off until tomorrow or next week or month. We live our lives wishing for someday, hoping for tomorrow or regretting what we did not do and just not foccus on what we can do for today. Taking time each day can add up to some real change in your life. As Mary Kay taught us that you eat and elephant one bite at a time. I enjoyed doing this challenge.

You'll understand why tomorrow.

Book Reviews

2010-03-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading some great books in February and March. I wanted to add them to the review on http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2010/01/2010-100-reading-challenge-post-your_799.html
It is a great blog with other readers.

I read Nicolas Spark's Newest Book The Last Song. It was a really good book to read just like all of his books. To me it was not as good at The Notebook or A Walk to Remember, but not bad. I am not excited about seeing the movie that is being made about it. I think Miley Sirus as the main character is a terrible idea. She is not intense enough to play this troubled teen. I also love listening to the previews as she talks with her thick southern accent and she is suppose to be from New York. This book is an easy read and as always with Spark's books is a tear jerker.

The Second book I just finished was Rhett Butler's People. I found this beautiful hard back book at Goodwill one day while I was looking around. I loved this book! I am a huge Gone With the Wind fan and collect items from this book and movie. I hated the book Scarlett when it came ot. (Hated the movie even more.) It was not true to the story, the characters and was a total disapointment. But this one is a perfect sequal to Gone with the Wind. It gives a lot of back story to Rhett Butler growing up and the story from his prospective. It also gives more details to things that happened in Gone With the Wind. Things like why he was at the 12 Oaks bar-b-que, why he was in prison after the war when Scarlett went to see him and the back story on his and Belle Watling's history. I loved this book. It was hard to read because it jumped around a lot between times and characters but at the end when it all came together it was great. It reminded me of why I loved Rhett Butler. He definately gives Edward Cullen a run for storybook characters that will make you swoon. This book is a great book to add to my Gone With the Wind collection.

2010-03-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

Getting to know you Sunday! I missed last week because I was sick. I am glad to get to play this week.

1. What's your favorite Easter candy?
Chocolate Cadberry Eggs with Caramel! Yummy!

2. Who do you think is cleaner..men or women?
In my house it is me but my husband is the organizer and I maintain it.
3. Which do you prefer..wordy blog posts or ones with pictures?
I like both. I like to hear a story and have the pictures to go a long with it.

4. Were you popular in highschool? I wish I was but I don't think I was. My school was a 4A school so everyone knew each other. With a name like Nocona I knew a lot of people but I did not make cheerleader the times I tried out.

5. What's your bra size? Too small for my taste.

6. How many states have you lived in? 1. I am a Texas girl and I plan on always being a Texas girl.

7. What's one blog you read every day? I am not sure because a lot of the ones I read don't post everyday.

8. Peanut butter or Nutella?
Creamy Peanut Butter

Day 19 of the 21 Day challenge!

Day 19

todays challenge:

Ask someone who is really close to you,

that loves you a whole bunch,

what one of your weaknesses are.

{Ask them to to tell you in a LOVING & GENTLE way}

Take that information and pray over it...

and ask God to show you how to work on it.

Do not, I repeat DO NOT, ask someone who does not have your best interests at heart.

Because they will just be mean.

And that's not the point.

We're trying to GROW here.

I will have to think about who to ask. Probablly my sister in law Jenny. I asked Darin and I he said, "Oh Lord it's my day off. Don't me that." He said. "I have not idea because you are pretty solid in everything." I love this man!

Day 18 of the 21 Day Challenge! Almost there!

2010-03-13T10:27:00.000-08:00

Day 18

todays challenge:

Try something new.

It can be ANYTHING.

Just mix it up today,

go wild and crazy

Not sure what I am going to do there! I have the kids and Darin is working. Today is already pretty filled. I will have to think about what I can do that is new.

Have a great Saturday!

Feature Friday- Stevie

2010-03-12T06:52:00.000-08:00

Today I am featuring my other handsome brother, Stevie. I love that even as an adult he has not gone to being called Steve because that is my dad. He is and will always be Stevie. He is the middle child of the three of us and is the peacemaker of the family. The smart, always even, logical and the most like my dad. He often plays the peacemaker role between my youngest brother and me because we are both too much alike. Stevie is a phamacist and I love that he is into holistic methods with diet and vitamin supplements. I am so proud that he and his wife just recently paid off over 100,000 of debt in a little less than three years. He is so focused and driven. Most of it was both of their school debt and they attacked it and were done with it before they bought a house, a new car or went on a fancy vacation. He is also a deacon at his church. I think he was one of the youngest men they ordained at MBC. Steive is also a huge Aggie. He was in the Aggie band all 4 years at A&M. He was a Ross Volunteer too. To all of you non Aggie's that is a huge honor. He got to go to the Inauguration of President Bush when he was elected into office.

Stevie has one of the most giving hearts and is so thoughtful. He totally spoils his wife and does things that most husbands would not do. Once Jenny was entered into a hostess contest with a Mary Kay event I was involved in. The contest prize was a $500 gift card to Nordstorms. But, you had to be present at the Mary Kay event and fashion show at Nordstoms to win. Jenny had to work that night so he came in her place in case she won. He came to this Mary Kay event being one of the only men there and was a great sport about it. Neither Jenny or I won the drawing and two weeks later for our birthdays we both got $100 gift cards to Nordstorms that he went and bought that night after I left the event.

Stevie was at every one of my children's birth and he had a job. He made the food run after I had each of them. I love sonic hamburgers, so he would find the closest Sonic and run and get me my burger each time. When Brighton my second child was born he took care of Dalton while I was in labor and afterwards even went to the store for me to get my prescriptions filled and things I needed. When I got pregnant with Madison he brought me a goodie bag from his pharmacy. He got me bellybars, gingerroot and prenatal vitamins. He is usually taking pictures at all of my kids birthday parties. My kids love hanging out with him because he is so silly and fun. Both of my brothers are the most fun uncles! When I found out my first child was a boy I have to admit that I was disappointed. I wanted a girl so bad and I did not know how cute a little boy would be. (I know very stupid.) But then I remembered what a beautiful baby Stevie was. He was the prettiest baby with big blue eyes and round cheeks. I should have stopped by my mom's house so I had a picture to post of him as a baby. But I thought, if my little boy looks like Stevie I will have the prettiest baby boy. Stevie is so funny and has the best laugh. It has not changed since he was two years old. Those of you reading this that know him can hear it in your head right now. It is just a Stevie laugh. Stevie also has asthma. Growing up we would judge how funny something was by if Stevie has to pull out his inhaler because he got so tickled. To know Stevie is to love him. So this is my little brother Stevie, one of my favorite people to be around.

I am also linking up with Follow Friday Again! I met some great people last week doing this and found some great new blogs to read. Play along if you want to and click on the button.

Last but not lease is todays Challenge of the 21 day challenge. Day 17

todays challenge:

Write a goodbye letter to someone or something that needs to go from your life.

It's not necessarily a letter to be shared or sent,

but written only to release your heart from the pain and hold it has on you.

Maybe even find a symbolic way to destroy the letter after it's been written.

Find a way to let it go.

Man I did this back in January and I felt so good about it. I wrote a letter to tell 2008 goodbye and it was so good for me. Just getting closure was so worth it.

Playing Catch Up!

2010-03-11T07:09:00.000-08:00

I have been so sick since last week. I got the terrible stomach bug my kids had. Only they were only down with it for 24 hours I had it for 4 days! It was the hardest way I have lost weight yet! So I wanted to catch those of you following the 21 day challege up. I feel behind on everything. My monthly sales goals, my house work and everything! The 15th of the month is MONDAY!!!!! Deep breath! One job at a time, one day at a time. The day I was feeling better Darin kept telling me to calm down and rest because I was going to relapse. One thing I am excited about is that I started a new schedule. I have been terrible about being disciplined with my daily schedule. I don't get up at a consistant time. Lots of times I would got back to bed after I took Dalton to school. (Wow! I am keeping it real here and laying it all out.) It would be 9:00 am before I was starting to get ready for the day. Then I was jumping on the computer first thing in the morning and I would have wasted an hour playing on facebook or my blog. It was wearing on my self-esteem because I knew that I was not doing right by my family and I knew I would do better with my goals if I would just get my schedule under control. So my goal is to be part of the 5:00 am club. In Mary Kay that is what she called those people that get up at 5:00 am 5 days a week. It adds hours to your life to get extra things done. I have never been a morning person.I have alway discounted the idea when it was talked about. But this week I was convicted that I had to do better with my schedule. I was meeting each day feeling behind, and frantic. That is not fair to my family or my kids. So I started yesterday. I got up at 6:00 am instead of 6:30. I have to have Dalton at school by 7:30 each day. My day was double in production and I felt so much better. We had the smoothest morning getting everyone ready and out the door. This morning I pushed it to 5:45 and it was even better. I was able to do my bible reading before anyone is the house was up. Half my todo list is already done and I feel great. It has made me feel more confident because I am taking steps to gain control over something I have struggled with for years. I am so excited about all of my new followers. Leave me a comment to let me know how your 21 day journey is going. I look forward to hearing from you. I promise to catch up on my reading and commenting on your blogs this weekend.

Day 13

todays challenge:

Time to unwind and relax.

I am ordering you to do just that today.

Your challenge is to find a way to relax and DO IT!

CHECK! What else could I do while I was sick! Got caught up on sleep and my DVR shows.

Day 14

todays challenge:

Today might be a real challenge for you, because it's uncomfortable.

I want you to do something that you wouldn't normally do alone.

Go for a walk without your ipod.

Go see a movie.

Get some lunch at a coffee shop and bring a book.

I think it's important to be comfortable being out and about with just ourselves.

So give it a shot, see what happens.

I have done this recently because my bible study has asked me too. Check!

Day 15

todays challenge:

This one is more for me than anything,

so you're welcome to take it or leave it.

But, the challenge today is to stay off the internet all day long.

I'm committing to 12 hours.

But, of course you do what's right for you.

Remember it's your own personal challenge,

these are merely suggestions.

I did this while I was sick too. It was kind of nice and I am not as obsessive about my blog and checking it as I was. I was not getting as much done because I was getting addicted to my blog and reading others blogs. So this one is checked off.

Day 16

todays challenge:

Last week!

Okay, todays challenge is a good one.

I want you to memorize a quote or scripture that brings you peace.

Don't know one?

Google some!

And when you find just the one, write it down on an index card and carry it around with you all day.

Hopefully by the end of the day,

not only will you have it in your head...

but most importantly,

it will permanently be in your heart.

Wow I love this one! I have been convicted of that recently in my bible study. Mine this week is 2 Tim 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power love and self-discipline.

Friday Follow & Day 12 of the 21 Day Challenge

2010-03-05T13:59:00.000-08:00

Today is my first Friday to try this. You can click the link to link up with Tammy.

21 Day Challenge

Day 12:

todays challenge:

We all make mistakes.

We all need another chance.

Today you get that opportunity in regards to these challenges.

It's Do Over Day.

Pick one of the previous challenges that maybe you weren't ever so successful at....

And try for it again.

Practice makes perfect.

I love this idea. I am doing over the day to get something off our todo list. The day that is was challenged I was sick. I did get my office cleaned but not that much done. I am going to clean my house from top to bottom with the kids to surprise my husband. We have been crazy busy lately and we have been tag teaming the household chores for a while. So as soon as I get off here the kids and I are going to turn up some loud music and get going. I bribed them with Dairy Queen icecream on the way home from school. We will see how paying them upfront works out. You can click on Summer's link for more of the 21 day challenge.

Thankful Thursday and day 11!

2010-03-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for many things. Even when this week has been alittle difficult there is always something to be thankful for. God's mercy is new every morning. Everyday is a new day. Just when I want to feel sorry for myself God alway reminds me that others have it worse. I am really blessed. I love March because it is getting closer to Spring. I love all of the Spring clothes and colors we get to wear. I am blessed with many wonderful friends. Darin has a great job and is up for a promotion (HUGE promotion). February was a big month in Mary Kay for me even though I have to double my production in March. I love that I am not teaching anymore and get to stay at home with my kids. (Even when we have sickness in the house.) Dalton has a great teacher in 1st grade and I found out this week he is reading on a 3rd grade level. He loves our reading time that we share every night where I read him a chapter book. We started the 3rd Harry Potter book last night. Just stopping and taking inventory on all that God has blessed me with helps me feel better about difficulties that happen. I am thankful for this 21 day challenge.

Here is Day 11

Day 11:

todays challenge:

Are you ready for this?

NO COMPUTER IN THE MORNING HOURS!

I know, I know.

{unless of course you are at work...}

But only for work purposes.

Get off the dang computer and DO SOMETHING.

Hey, it could be worse.

It could be 21 days!

So I will be doing this tomorrow. I think this is a good idea because I check facebook and get on my blog then look up and I have lost an hour to my morning. It throws off my productivity for the rest of the day. Have you ever noticed that if you have a really productive morning that your day just jives for the rest of the day! I may take this challenge for the rest of the 21 days. I would love to hear your feed back on this.

Have a great Thankful Thursday!

Day 10- Patience

2010-03-03T14:56:00.000-08:00

Day 10:

todays challenge:

We're almost half way there!!!

And with 11 more days to go, we definitely need to be working on patience.

Let today's focus be on just that.

Lots of deep breaths.

Breathe.

Patience.

Notice that I said practice patience. I am not saying praying for it. (Old joke about praying for patience.) Another way to say it is to practice keeping your peace. I read a Joyce Meyers book a couple of years about about ways to keep your peace. It is a discipline to practice. Not one I always succeed at but one that I keep striving for. Just being concious of it is a lot of the battle. Thank you all for you comments. This 21 day challenge has been a fun one to blog about. I am super excited to have reached 50 followers. I can't wait to have 50 more. It is more friends!

Day 9!! Just Do it!

2010-03-02T11:24:00.000-08:00

Day 9:

todays challenge:

Let's start getting things DONE!

You know that to do list that you've been staring at or thinking of for FOREVER?

Today you get to tackle one of those tasks that has just not been attended to for quite some time.

You will feel SUCH a sense of relief when it's finally crossed off the list.

I love this one because I am a to do list gal. There is such a sence of accomplishment when things are done!

Leave me a comment and tell me what you did or are planning on doing.

Top 2 Tuesday

2010-03-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

Top 2 Favorite Stores

Charmin' Charlies or Hanna D's

Hobby Lobby

I heart Faces!

2010-03-01T07:33:00.000-08:00

Week 9 - "Hilarious Outtakes" Photo Challenge

This was the first Christmas where we were trying to get a Christmas Card picture with all three looking at the camera. This is the best shot we got. (Notice the three year olds tounge)

Day 8! Have fun!

2010-03-01T07:21:00.000-08:00

Day 8:

todays challenge:

Doing something fun today.

Dance in the living room.

Have a picnic in the park.

Go shopping.

Just HAVE FUN!
Play this song and see if it does not make you want to get up and dance. This is one of my theme songs.

Sunday Night Game

2010-02-28T13:47:00.000-08:00

1. Would you rather bungee jump or sky dive?
I want to do both! I don't like heights but I love speed. I also love the expereince things that not everybody has done. The thrill, the rush!

2. When using a public restroom to you squat over the seat or sit?
It depends on how clean the bathroom is.

3. Favorite flower?
Light Pink Rose. I love roses.
4. Pedicure or manicure?
Pedicure since I like fake fingernails. Plus I love sitting in the chair and getting pampered. I found one place that will give you a glass of wine with it.
5. How many siblings do you have? 2 bothers both younger. Yes, I am the bossy older sister.

6. Do you pee in the shower? (gasp!)
No. When I am the one cleaning the shower later.

7. Bikini, tankini, or one piece? Tankini. I like the ones with the cute skirts. When I had the body for a bikini I was not allowed to wear them. I am just excited about getting to bathing suit shop this year since I have been losing weight.

8. Where do you hate to shop at, but go there anyway? Wal-mart. At least since we moved this town has a nicer one. The town we came from was always dirty and crowed.

Day 7

2010-02-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

Day 7:

todays challenge:

Today's challenge is simple.

Find a way to help a stranger.

Be creative!

Not sure how this is going to work but I am open to what the Lord is leading me to do. It is funny that this happens today because I am having the worst day that I have had in a long time. A lot went wrong today, a lot of stress and just pressing through. A blog will come later just need to process before I write.

Day 6 Challenge

2010-02-27T08:10:00.000-08:00

Day 6:

todays challenge:

Sometimes we get so busy that we forget to stop and rest in God's presence.

And instead at the end of the day, as we're drifting off to sleep, we give him what's left.

If even that.

But how much better would things be, if we began AND ended our day with intentional time with Him?

Today's your chance.

Wake up a few minutes early and spend that time being with Him.

And at the end of the day, before you're even a tad bit sleepy, sit aside time to be with Him once again.

Make it personal.

Make it intentional.

And see how it may just be the sweetest time you've had all day
Since today is Saturday I challenge you to get up early tomorrow morning before church and spend time along with God. Then make a concious effort to be peaceful and as quiet as you can getting ready for church. (As much as you can getting kids ready for church.) But really foccus on having a worshipful attitude getting ready for church and on the way to church. Don't watch TV while getting ready (guilty of that and watching the soap network while getting ready. Wow that gets you ready for worship!) Then listen to Christian worship music while on the way to church. (Guilty of listening to secular music and walking into church with those songs still bopping in my head.) Here is the big one for all of us. Pace yourself and don't run late. How many times does Satan set us up on Sundays simply but us not getting up early enough to get to church on time. Then we are frantic. We are stressed and it takes two songs or more into the worship service to get into it and we miss God. What is it doing to our kids sence of Worship? I have been guilty of the yelling, frantic sliding into to church just as it starts and then rushing them off to their classes. That does not leave them with a legacy of Sunday being a day of worship. With my husband being a minister they need it even more. They see all of the behind the scenes stuff that goes on at church and I need to protect their sence of worship on Sundays even more and mine. So this exersize was a huge eye opener for me. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think or how is changed Sunday's worship for you. I will leave you with one of my favorite songs of just pondering who God is.

Five Question Friday

2010-02-26T13:50:00.000-08:00

1. Do you sing karaoke? If so, what is your go to song?

YES! I love it. But never have a place to go or anyone to go with me. I love to sing old Patsy Cline music.

2. What is your favorite coffee drink? Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha with a shot of caramel. So not on my diets but yummy!

3. If you could choose your own name, what would it be? I love my name. Nocona. When I was a kid I wanted to change my name because I could never find stickers or anything with my name on it. Now I just have to go to a western store where they sell the boots. If I was going to change my name it would be Brighton which is what I named my daughter. I love her name.

4. Were you ever bullied? Yes. By a big guy in 5th grade and my mom had to go to school and take care of it.

5. How often do you eat fast food? Not much anymore. Since I have been on this weightloss journey I have had to cut it out. It has saved us soo much money since we did that and it has helped retrain my kids. They were thinking every time we ran errands we had to stop and get them something it eat. It has been hard though. My husband is an assistant GM for Whataburger and we get everything 50% off. (For those of you outside of Texas that is an awesome Texas bases burger joint. Those of you that don't have one are missing out!)
Click on the button above to get in on the game.

Feature Friday & Day five of the 21 Day challenge

2010-02-26T13:27:00.000-08:00

Today I will feature my friend's new Website. Nikki and I went to the same church as teens and sang in the school choir together. She has a new site where she has handmade cards. Her site is http://www.designsbynikki.net/. Check it out.

Wow Summer is really pulling for some hard stuff with todays.

Day 5: todays challenge:

Imagine all the things we could get done if we didn't have social media....

for example: Facebook & Twitter.

Let's try it out and see just what happens when we take a break for 24 hours.

Take notes on what you accomplish in the time not wasted.

Does this mean I have to take a break from my blog too? I might get that laundry folded finally.

I am going to try this tomorrow since I did not do the challenge until the middle of the day and I have already checked my FB today. I am going to take a break from FB, and my blog. I will write up Day 6 tonight and post it after I get home.

Thankful Thursday & Day 4 Challenge

2010-02-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful this week that I feel great. When I look back on how terrible I felt in October I don't even recognize myself. I am 20 lbs lighter. Mary Kay is back on track and getting better than ever. But, I truely feel loved and inspired again. The other day in my bible study reading I felt true joy and excitement down in my spirit just because I was soaking in how much God loves me. He loves us! He delights in us. He loves us too much to leave us like we are and not to inspire us to be better, greater and more. He allows us to go through the valleys to shape us, and weed things out of our souls. I am thankful for the valley's too. I love who I become in the process. With out the rain we don't appreciate the sunshine. With out sadness we don't truely embrace joy. Without turmoil we don't even notice times of peace. Tears wash our soul and laughter nourishes it. Heartbreak brings a sweetness to the times of restoration to our heart. I am thankful for who God made me and who he is developing me into.

Day 4:

todays challenge:

Often times we can get caught up in negative self talk.

Or in being negative period.

We tend to speak to ourselves more horribly than we would ever imagine speaking to someone we love.

So today, that stops.

With every negative thought that comes into your mind,

first immediately STOP it...

And then, replace that thought with what is TRUE and positive.

Even better, get some index cards and write out the negative thought on one side,

and the truth on the other.

Along with the truth, you could find a bible verse or quote that further encourages you in that area.

Notice what a difference you feel about yourself and about life at the end of the day.

The bible talks about holding everythought captive. Not every thoughts that comes into your head is your thought. We have an enemy that is a liar and the best way he feeds those lies to our souls in whispering those thoughts into our heads and we swallow it without question. Not only stop the thought but speak truth over yourself. The power of life and death are in the toung. I have discovered that your can not think away a bad thoughts. You must speak it out over yourself. This may sound crazy but it works. For example, how many of you moms have struggled with this thought, "I'm a terrible mother because_________." Stop and say "No I am a great mom because_________." Read your bible and discover all of the wonderful things that God says you are to him. Keep notes that people send you to reread during down times. Here is a simple thing. ACCEPT A COMPLIMENT! How many times does someone compliment us and we either verbaly dismiss it or mentally do. Accept it and let it sink in. When people compliment my kids and tell me how cute they are I found myself telling people what little monster they can be. I have learned to say thank you. My kids don't need to hear me put them down and people who complimented them don't want to hear the negative either. Or when someone compliments you and you want to argue with them. This is not being humble! I have a bad habit when someone compliments my clothes I want to tell them how cheep I got it. That is not good either. The bible says we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. But how can we love our neighbor if we hate ourselves! We would have a lot less women caddiness if we as women loved who God made us to be. Be aware today of how you talk to yourself. I love this challenge. Please leave a comment and tell me how your 21 day challenge is going.

Day 3 of the 21 Day Challenge

2010-02-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

Day 3

Today's focus is on the blessings in your life.

I have in the past kept a blessing journal that I wrote all of my blessings for the day in. Now on Thursdays for my blog I do a Thankful Thursday. I do this for two reasons. One, to foccus my attention on the things that are good in my life to help out weigh the bad. Life is full of blessings if we take time to notice. Even when bad things happen I try to look at the positive and the blessing behind them. It reminds me of Pollianna playing the glad game. The other reason is to glorify God. If my kids never said thank you for anything, do you think that I would keep wanting to do things for them? How do we treat God when we complain constantly about the messy house that we live in when other people don't have a home. The terrible ways our kids act when some can not have children. Or the jobs we hate to to go to when there are so many unemployed. An ungrateful heart is a slap in the face to the God who blesses us so richly. Develop a grateful heart and look for the good in all things, because we know that He works all things for the good for those who are in Christ.

You can link up with Summer who started all of this on her blog. http://www.lemusingsofmoi.com/p/personal-challenge-21-days-to-better.html

I love this song that I leave you with.

Top Two Tuesday

2010-02-23T10:46:00.000-08:00

I am also linking up with a new blog that I found.

Today is the top two shows you like. Right now I Tivo everything because I can't watch it live. Either the kids are still awake or I am gone. I have more than two that I like to keep up with. But if I had to narrow it down it is

House

Pshyc

But Darin and I also are really getting into these other two USA Shows too.

Burn Notice & White Collar

Then these are the Two Shows I have started watching with him. His hunting shows. I call it the Tree Whispering Shows.

Ted Nuggent's Spirit of the Wild and The Bone Collector.

Day 2 of the 21 Day Challenge

2010-02-23T10:19:00.000-08:00

Day 2:
Let today be a day that you are focused on going out of your way to show love and kindness to the people around you.
Whether that means sending a card,
writing a thoughtful email or note,
doing a chore for someone,
or spending extra intentional time with a friend, child or family member....
Whatever it may be, just find as many ways as you can throughout the day and do them.
And do them with a heart full of love.
Bless someone close to you, bless a stanger that has no way of repaying you. It is my personal goal to leave everyone that I encounter better than I found them, if I can. I go out of my way to thank all people that check me out at a store or wait on me at a resteraunt. Compliment people. We think a lot of things that are good about people that we should tell them. I love this song. Every day of my journey I am going to leave you with a song that goes with that days assignement. This song is one of my life songs.

21 Days to A New You

2010-02-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

I found a new blog that I really have enjoyed reading. It is Julie at and she blogged today about 21 days of change. You can click on her button to go to her blog.

Her 21 day challenge came from Summer another new blog I am following.

She is on day three if you go to her blog. You can click under her title bar on the sub heading 21 days of change. I am starting today February 22 to committ to this.
Day 1:

today's challenge:

Think of something you are willing to give up for 21 days,

and commit to it once and for all.

Write it down.

Tell someone so they can help to hold you accountable.

and remember,

it's just for 21 days.

you can do anything for 21 days.

I am going to be doing 4 things that I think my life is divided into. My Spiritual Walk, My Personal life, My family, My Mary Kay. I think I will tell my director and have her hold me accountable. She is already my mentor in my life. I am excited about this because we can do anything for 21 days. It is a short goal that gives you no time to percrastinate or half heartedly do. Plus if you do something for 30 days it becomes a habit. So here are mine.

Spiritual- Every single day spend time in prayer. Not just doing my bible reading so I can check it off my todo list. But taking time to pray. This includes Sundays.
Personal-Not gossiping. No if, ands or buts. Not to speak my oppinion about anyone else and what I think they should or should not do. I hate it about myself and I have gotten better but I want it not part of my character.
Family-Every day connect with each one of my kids and husband. Look them in the eye and tell them I love them.
Mary Kay-Meet two new contacts every single day for 21 days to facial. Hand out my card and get a name and number to follow up with. I have been doing this half heartedly and inconsistant for too long.

I am excited to report on day two tomorrow. I am also going to print this list up and hang it in my office and in my goal folder. If something is not visually in front of you, you will not stick to it or forget. I will end with this song. It is my favorite Taylor Swift Song.

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I heart Faces- Hands

2010-02-22T05:10:00.000-08:00

I heart faces 2/22/10

This my little Madie's hand when she was 5 months old. I love babies perfect little hands and feet.

Pictures from the 80's Birthday Bash!

2010-02-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

My friend Jenny C, Me, My sister-in-law Jenny and my friend Jill all have February Birthdays. For the past three years we have had a big birthday party with our group of friends we grew up with. This year it was an 80's theme and we had a blast! Here are the pictures.

Our cake rocked!

My honey and I. He was Brett Michaels. It was a last minute costume change. He was going to be Ferris Bueler and I could not find the right vest. As we were walking out the door I grabbed the Hannah Montanna wig from my girls dress up box and tried to brush it out. He was a good sport about letting me put eye make up on him.

I thought our costumes were a hit and then my brothers showed up in their 80's costumes.

So here is the Christmas Card picture for my mom to send out next year.

I love my two sister-in-laws! We have so much fun!

Our Rockin' Friends Crystal and Darell.

Kara and Clifford Wheeler! (Judd Nelson from Breakfast Club)

My friend Susan and her husband!

I had fun putting her costume together!

My adopted sister/hairdresser Erin and my newest friend Cara! Love these girls!

The birthday girls with their husbands! The Childress, The Koenigs, The Helms and The Wenzels

We walked like an Egyptian, got Footloose and did the Thriller dance. (Or attempted it anyway!) The music of that night was the best of the year yet!

I love my birthday sisters!

2010-02-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

I am linking up Keeley for her getting to know you Sundays. I love her random questions.

1. How often do you wash/change your sheets?
Every two weeks. Everyone in my house takes a bath before bed every night. That is unless a child has not wet the bed or puked in it.

2. When is your birthday?
2-4-77

3. Have you ever met a bloggy friend in real life?
Not any that were not my friends before I started blogging.

4. Brad Pitt or George Clooney? That is a hard choice. George Clooney

5. If you could change one thing about your body what would it be? A smaller rearend and thighs.

6. How often do you wash your hair? Every other night.

7. Do you have pets? We lost our dog this fall that we had for 13 years. Not ready to get another yet.

8. How many social networks do you belong to..if you had to give up one, what would it be?
Mary Kay, Church, My church friends I grew up with since I live in the same time I grew up in. I love facebook and getting to know more people through my blog. I hate letting go of anyone.

Feature Friday-My Friend Susan

2010-02-19T06:25:00.000-08:00

Today I am featuring my best friend from highschool Susan. We have been friends since we were 14 and in History class our freshman year at Hays. We could not be more opposite. She was a soccer player and I ran track. She was on yearbook and I was in the drama club. Her reserved and calm nature has kept me a little bit more grounded and I have always added the fun. My favorite memory is when we were Jr.'s in highschool and I had an out of town guy I was dating come to see me. He had a friend with him so we needed a date for him, and I called Susan. We had the best time showing the cute cowboys from East Texas around the big city of Austin. Oh, man were they cute and had the sweetest southern accents. We went to see the movie "Three Musketeers" that night. Later that year, for my 17th birthday, Susan got me three of the Three Musketeers Candy Bars to remind me of the night. The funny thing is I have to remind her of all of the details of things like that because she does not remember and does not see how I do. (I scrapbooked it all and journaled every detail with it.) I pulled all of these pictures out of one of my books. The this picture is at Prom our Sr. Year. When we graduated we went to two different colleges and after my freshman year I got married. Susan was a bridesmaid in my wedding. We lost touch after that for the next few years. Our mother's were both teacher in the district and would catch each other up on the details of our lives. After the birth of Dalton when I was 25 we got back in touch and I started calling and emailing again. She got married that year and I got to come in and do her makeup for it. Then after we moved back to Kyle when my 2nd was a baby we became fast friends again. I loved going to the same church with her again. It is amazing how you can fall back into a friendship like so time has passed at all. When my youngest was born Susan got to be in the delivery room. She drove all the way from Buda to San Antonio at 5 a.m. to be there for Madison'd birth. As she was holding Madie her husband call and said, "Put the baby down. I don't know if we are ready for you to want one yet." Well, a year almost to the day later her Madie (Madeline) came into the world. I keep meaning to get a picture of the two little girls together because they are both our "mini-me's".

14 years old our Freshman Year of Highschool.

Age 25 at a Reunion for our church in Manchaca.

Age 32 at the New Moon Midnight Showing.

Thankful Thursday

2010-02-18T06:52:00.000-08:00

There are always things to be thankful for even when life is hard. This week I had two close friends loose one of their parents. Darin's sister lost her mother in law this last week to cancer. She was only diagnosed in December. Jerry was a sweet lady with a strong faith. She did not have to suffer long and the family has really leaned on their faith to get through it. Then my friend Melinda lost her dad on Tuesday. I have not found out the details on how it happened, but I did find out that he had become a Christian in the process of being sick. It was just in January that she and I were talking and she was expressing concern for his salvation and how she was handling talking to him about it. I rejoice with her that she does not have to worry about this question anymore.

When I look back on all that God has done is a short time in my life I am filled with such awe! My heart is so full from all of the people God has placed in my life to walk with me. One of my best friends from highschool and I have gotten to become close again since moving back. I am loving it! Just having a best friend again that you can depend on is a blessing, but one that has your history is so much sweeter. She encouraged me to join the YMCA with her and I am so glad that I did. I have not felt so good in months.

I was able to get off antidepressants through the grace of God and I feel great. There was not the hard transition that I worried that it would be. Through eating better and exersize I am feeling great. Life is falling back into place too and we seem to be out of so many transitions for now. Praise God!

I will always be thankful for my sisters Erin and Jenny. God did not give me sisters in my family but my sister-in-law and her sister have adopted me. Erin texted me just the other day to remind me of that. Now my question is when I get my sisterly discount on my hair cuts? No really she has always worked with me and given me such a bargain for all that she does to keep my hair cute.

I am thankful for my mother and her special touches that she puts on holidays for my kids. I did not have that growing up with my grandparents and I love the things she does. She brought my kids Valentine's bags on Sunday. They got chocolates, fancy socks and cards with $5.00 bills in them for them to use at the movies that night. She does things like this for every holiday. I am also so thankful that Dalton is going to the school she teaches at. It is like having an "in" at the school and I don't have to be the one that is a teacher on campus. I know first hand exactly what is happening in his day to day routines. If a problem arises it is usually handled before I know about it. Like my check for his lunch got lost this last week and Dalton had no money in his account. Nonna took care of it and deposited even more money in there. I am interested in seeing though what it will be like when Dalton is in second grade next year with Nonna in her grade level. I am also excited about sending Brighton next year to the school. My mother was going to retire this year and changed her mind. I am so glad because I like the idea of her being on campus when I am sending my little girl next year.

I am thankful our church is growing again. I love Laurie Minton our pastor's wife. I thought that the transition from going from the Sr. Pastor's wife to a staff member's wife was going to hard. Not with Laurie. She is the kindest and most pure hearted lady I know. It has been wonderful working with her to do the ladies ministry and kids ministry. I love that she is my mentor and friend.

Wordless Wed.

2010-02-17T07:39:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wed.

This is my friend Melinda and I at an awards lunch we earned this last fall. We got to have lunch with Dailene White. She was the very first Mary Kay beauty consultant and Mary Kay Ash's best friend. Since Mary Kay passes away in November of 2001 this was the next best thing to meeting Mary Kay herself. We got to hear stories about the start of the company and what they had to do to get it off the ground. Dailene was the one that brought Mary Kay her last meal before she died, when she came to visit her. This was one of the neatest rewards that I have ever won in Mary Kay and these pictures I will treasure. These pictures also make me miss my blond hair and that hair cut.

To link your pictures up today go to...http://www.5minutesformom.com/16184/wordless-wednesday-33/?

I heart faces "Do you Wanna Dance"

2010-02-15T11:54:00.000-08:00

This week's theme is "Do you Wanna Dance"

This was Dalton dancing with my friend Jenny at her Wedding. Dalton was the ring bearer in the wedding but stole the show at the reception. He danced the night away. He always wanted to dance with every pretty girl there. His daddy gave him a dollar so he could dance with the bride at the wedding. I love his little face as he is looking up at her.

Valentine's Post

2010-02-14T15:41:00.000-08:00

Today I am linking up with Keeley over and Mannland and Mamma M for their Valentine's Day Posts.

1. Favorite Valentine's candy?
Milk Chocolate or Chocolate Truffels or Chocolate Covered Strawberries!!
2. Pink or red? Hot Pink!

3. Will you be doing anything to celebrate today? Not much, Hubby is working. So we are taking kids to the $ movie tonight.

4. Do you put up Valentine's decorations? I did not this year but next year I want to keep a small tree up from Christmas and decorate it through out the year for the different seasons.

5. What does Valentine's Day mean to you? It is one of my favorite holidays. I love hearts and pink and all things romance. February is my favorite month!

6. Would you rather get..flowers, candy, or a night out? All of the above! Plus jewlery, and perfume. I want it all...

7. Sexy lingerie or nothing.at.all? Sexy Lingerie!!! (And a size 4 body to look good in it!)

8. Do you say Valentine's Day or Valentime's Day? Valentine's Day!

Top 10 Reason's I love my Man!

1. He has a servants heart!

2. He loves me for who I am and all things about me. He does not question why I do things or like things that I do. He does not make fun of me or write things off that I like.

3. He is a wonderful daddy. He does not see keeping the kids as babysitting. He has always changed the diapers, does bath time when it is needed and can fix the girls hair. He is my equal partner.

4. He watches Chick Flicks with me. He will actually try to keep up with the story lines of the shows I watch and asks me questions about them.

5. His heart for the Lord.

6. He makes me laugh! I love to just laugh with him.

7. His cute little rear in a pair of wranglers.

8. His crooked smile.

9. He really knows me and trys to find the perfect gift that fits me and my style. He always has a thought process for the things he buys me. Like my hot pink and gold coach purse. When he gave it to me he pointed out the pockets in the front. He said, "You will always have your Mary Kay cards ready and easy to get to hand out to people." He even saved his lunch money and told me he was eating out everyday at work and bought be a brand new Iphone last year.

10. I love that he likes to hunt and fish but has never abused getting to go and leaving me on the weekends all of the time. He really balances work, family and fun. He will sacrifice his time to be with the kids.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-13T20:28:00.000-08:00

I am linking up with Mama M today with my favorite picture of my sweetheart and me! I just made a frame for our house of some of my favorites of us so I am posting them all. Link up by clicking on the heart. I would love to see some of your pictures. Don't forget to leave me a comment about your favorite ones.

Our Wedding 13 years ago.

I know Darin has not changed all that much.

Our 10 Year Anniversary 3 and half years ago.

I was pregnant with Madie in this one two years ago.

This last fall at Erin's Wedding rehersal.

My Man! Feature Friday!

2010-02-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

In honor of Valentine's I am featuring my baby faced sweet heart, Darin. I can honestly say that I love this man so much more than I did the day we got married. God has truely created this man to be the one for me. His gifts off set mine and we make a perfect team. When I am all over the place with emotions, he is logical and even. Although when I am bursting with excitement his even temperment can be a let down, but he keeps me grounded. His servants spirit is a blessing in my life. He really shows his love for me in the way he serves me and wants to meet my needs. He paints my toe nails and the girls. He is an example for our son to follow. One day I could not find Dalton and Brighton. I went into their playroom and saw Brighton sitting on her little couch with her feet on a towel. Dalton was lying on his tummy painting her toe nails. (Thank goodness Madie was not big enough to crawl around because she would have dumped the stuff everywhere.) He is not perfect but he tries very hard. If I bring something to his attetion he listens and does not blow me off. Although we are still working on him actually making his socks into the hamper and unballing them when he takes them off. But nobody's perfect right? He is a wonderful father to our three kids. He has always been a complete partner in raising them. He changes diapers, bathes them and can fix our little girls hair. He knows not to let them leave the house with out a bow in their hair. He surprises me with a clean house when I am working. He works two jobs so that I get to be a full time mother to our kids. He is my motivation for working Mary Kay. I want to take some of the burden off of him. I also can not wait until the day I can buy him a new truck. I want to be able to buy him all of the hunting equipment he wants and places for him to go. He knows that he can be negative and has come a long way since the day I met him. He is from a negative, reactive upbringing and has come so far from that since the day we got married. He puts up with me and laughs at my personality quirks. He loves my girlie girl attitude and never teases me. He said it was what attracted him to me. He bought me the entire Twilight series for Valentine's day last year and an Edward Cullen barbie doll for my birthday this year. Plus, for our anniversary he got me the most hot pink and gold Coach bag. He searched the internet for the perfect one and then tracked it down at a store near us last year. He is so quiet and puts up with my constant chatter. I am working on not finishing his sentences for him. When we went to ATT&T to work on our plans two years ago we were checking our usage and the guy tells me, "mam you used 2400 minutes last month and your husband used a little over 400." Well, there ya go! That sums us up pretty well. He takes me to the movies that I pick and never complains. (Yes, he went to Twilight and New Moon.) He is my Edward and he says I am Alice. Don't get me wrong it is not always about what I like. We do watch his hunting shows at night. It is relaxing when going to sleep. I call them his "tree whispering shows." We watch The Bone Collector and Ted Nugents hunting show. He likes to show me the ones with a girl in them. He says, "Look she has her hair and makeup done and she has a pink camo gun." Someday when our kids are bigger I will learn to shoot and go out with him hunting. It would make his day. Right now he will have to settle for the camo baby t with a rinestone cross on the front for me to wear during hunting season.

What I love the most about Darin is his heart for the Lord. Darin has always reminded me of King David. The small shepard boy who had a big calling on his life. Most people counted him out but when he speaks the Lord speaks through him. Darin never hesitates on our monthly tithe. That means a lot to me. It shows me his faithfulness to the Lord. I have friends who have fought with their husbands when they felt called to tithe and their husbands did not agree. The day he baptisted our son was a day that I will never forget. His knowlede of the bible amazes me. From a blind date almost 15 years ago to 13 and half years of marriage and three kids later, I love Darin more and more each day.

Thankful Thursday

2010-02-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

I am completely wowed (if that is a real word) by the God I serve and how quickly he restores us. I am amazed at how fast he has been restoring my soul from the dryness I was in. He truely has pulled me out of the pit that I was in and placed me on higher ground. Just a month ago I was still feeling down. Life had changed so much for us over the past few months and I was still adjusting. My heart was hard because it had been broken and I was afraid to let anyone else back in. I hurt having to uproot and leave my community, close the doors of our church and move back home. I had some painful breakups of letting some friendship go and it left me jaded. I went to church going through the motions. I did not want to let anyone in to hurt me again. I thought there was no one at this church I could relate to and I was afraid to try. I had my family, friends from the church I grew up in and friends from highschool. They had been with me through thick and thin and proven themselves. I thought that was all I needed. But, I am a relational person and the lack of connection was effecting my worship. My attitude was getting worse and I did not want to serve and frankly I did not want to be there anymore. Not good. I prayed through it and waited. I made myself keep going and tried to serve with a smile on my face. There were Sundays that it was almost painful because inside I was so hurt and out of my comfort zone. Which if you know me, being anywhere with people energizes and excites me. I can't tell you what happened except God would not release me to leave and made me be obedient to keep going.

I found myself wanting to serve again. Two weeks ago we did a glamourshot night for the ladies of the church for Valentine's. I did all of the makeup. As I was doing each face it gave me a chance to talk with each lady. It was so much fun to make them feel beautiful and my heart melted for each one as I got to know them while they were in my chair. Then last week I was my birthday. Darin took me to lunch but had to work the night of my birthday. My sister-in-laws and group of friends all had to work so I called some of the ladies from church. That night as we sat at Carino's for my birthday I realized I have an entire group of new friends. I feel so blessed to feel such a deep connection with the ladies of my church so quickly.

Then Friday night I got to go out with my group of girlfriends that I grew up with. I love these gals. I love that Jenny, my sister-in-law, is one of my very best friends and we share the same birthday week. She knows me so well and got me the Twilight Woods Bath and Bodyworks set for my birthday. She knows I love Twilight and it was so fun to open that gift up. I love that Stephanie my other sister-in-law and I are getting closer since I moved back to the area. What is funny is she got me the same set from Bath and Body Works. They really know me! I had so many facebook messages for my birthday, emails, texts, cards and phone calls last Thursday. My cup was so full it was running over. My love language is words of affirmation and wow, I felt so loved. I am thankful for my grandparents. I got a call from each of them on my birthday. I was born at around 9:00 pm on a Friday night. (They were watching Dallas in the waiting room the night I was born.) Every year on my birthday at 9:00 I get a phone call from my grandparents singing Happy Birthday to me. It is not my birthday until I get that phone call.

Satan is a liar and wants us to feel unloved, isolated and alone. We are not alone. God is always with us and he uses his people to love us. If you are feeling alone don't give up. Don't pull away. Keep reaching up to God and the people around us.

Wordless Wed.

2010-02-10T05:09:00.000-08:00

Gearing up for another season of baseball, I pulled out a picture from last Spring. This is one of my favorite ones of Dalton and Darin. To link up you can go to Five Minute for Mom http://www.5minutesformom.com/15935/wordless-wednesday-cousins-julia-and-olivia/

Sticky Note Tuesday!

2010-02-09T05:47:00.000-08:00

I am playing along with Supah Mommy today and her Sticky Note Tuesday. It is little things that you would like to say out loud but don't always get a chance to.

I heart Kisses!

2010-02-08T11:18:00.000-08:00

I am recycling an older entry for I heart faces. The theme this week is I heart kisses and this is my favorite kiss picture. I cherish this picture of my grandmother with my youngest Madison.

2010-02-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

I am liniking up again for Sunday Funday
1. How many piercing's do you have? Just one in each ear.

2. I love the sound of.....? of a heavy rain at night. My kids laughter when I am playing with them.

3. Favorite city? I have not traveled much but I love living near Austin! Centeral Texas is so pretty.

4. Colts, Saints, or could care less? The Saints, since the Cowboys are not playing.

5. Frozen yogurt or ice cream?Both!

6. Favorite appetizer? Chips and good Salsa

7. What item in your closet currently makes you the happiest?
My shoes! I love all of my pretty shoes and could use more. I love my collection of boots. Or my Twilight Poster I have hidden in there! Lol.
8.Favorite facial moisturizer?
Mary Kay's TimeWise Age-Fighting moisturizer for Dry Skin. I also love the oil free hydrating gel.

Feature Friday

2010-02-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

Today I am featuring my sister-in-law Jenny's website Helm House Creations. http://helmhousecreations.blogspot.com/
She makes cute vintage banners. She can custome make one for you or you can look through pictures of some that she has already made. I love them. I also want to wish her a Happy Early 30th Birthday! We are birthday sisters because our birthdays 3 days apart! Can't wait for our party! We have a big party every year with our other two birthday friends! Jenny, I promise you will love your 30s so much more than your 20's! Check out her blog and leave a comment that I sent you to her blog. I included pictures of some of my favorite banners that she has made. You can guess which one I inspired for her and I want her to give me for my office!