One Word 2016 ~ Commit ~ 12/31/15

 

On this last day of 2015, I'd like to share with you my word for 2016.

 

I've decided on the word:

 

Commit

 

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."  Proverbs 16:3

 

(I'll admit that I got the idea off of someone else who is also choosing the word "Commit" for 2016.  I'll try to go back and find the source.  They had a wonderful post.)

 

When I saw the word "Commit", it struck a chord inside me.

 

There are so many things I would like to commit to this coming year.

 

Bible Reading, Exercise, Homemaking...  I could go on and on.

 

I was having a hard time deciding on one word, but I love that this verse covers everything that I do.  Whatever I do.

 

With God's help, I will succeed.

 

Did you choose a word for 2016?  I'd love to hear what it is!

 

 

Linking up to:  Inspritation2 , Creative Ways, Grace at Home, Create It Thursday, Your Turn to Shine,   Project Stash  Homemaking Linkup and Home Sweet Home, Share Your Cup;  Grandma Ideas, Think and Make.

Weigh-In Wednesday ~ Week 1 ~ 12/30/15

 

My inspiration:

 

Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing

it for the Lord and not merely for people.   Colossians 3:23

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Well, he did it!  The hubby joined the gym with me!  We went Saturday for him to sign up.  We did all the paperwork then I asked if he would like me to show him around so he could get a feel for the place before our first workout.  He was impressed with the amount of machinery that Planet Fitness has.

Then we went shopping!  He said he needed some workout clothes.  He's really serious about getting healthy.  I find it a bit amusing because it is so out of the norm for him.  He picked up some new shoes, a couple pairs of shorts and a few t-shirts.  I'm pretty sure that it was the first time he went clothes shopping in the 15 years we've been married!

I was very excited to get started!  I could hardly wait for Monday to come.  Finally, it did and we got up, got ready to go and hit the gym for the very first time together.  It was so much fun to have him along with me.

Today, I can tell that I hadn't worked out in a while.  I'm stiff and a bit sore.  But it feels good!

Now for the numbers. 

I'm writing this post on Tuesday so I've only been to the gym once so far this week.  Therefore, I have 5 miles so far.

I actually gained 0.8 pounds this week.  I don't think that is too bad considering we had Christmas and the eating it entailed.  I'm going to start focusing more on my eating this week.

This week's stats:

Miles:  5
Total Miles:  5

lbs lost: +0.8
Total lost:  +0.8

Thanks for stopping by!  Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

 

Linking up to  WholeHearted Wednesday, R&R, Word Filled Wednesday, Coffee and Conversation, Ladies Collective,   Party in Your PJs,  The Mommy Club, Works or Me, Wake-Up Wednesday and  Women with Intention,  Workout Wednesday and Fitness Friday.

Teaser Tuesday ~ An Uncommon Grace ~ 12/29/15

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. 

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My teaser for this week is from:

 

 

~"Instead of the roar of fighter jets overhead and the rattling gunfire of distant fighting that had permeated her sleep for so long, Grace heard the sound of her grandmother having a quiet conversation with God.  Elizabeth had done that for as long as Grace could remember."~

Page 52

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Happy Teaser Tuesday!

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ 12/28/15

Come join Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

 

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The weather outside is::::

Rainy!  We've had so much rain here the past week but no SNOW!  I was very disappointed that we had 70F degree weather for Christmas :(

On the breakfast plate this morning::::

 

Slimfast Shake

As I look outside my window:::

 

It is 11:30pm, so I can't see anything out my window.  But if I could, our Cherry Tree blossomed!  In December!  So not right...
    
Right now I am::::

 

Sitting at the computer waiting for the heartburn from eating pizza and breadsticks to go away.   Please, go away!

As I look around the house::::

 

I'm changing my cleaning day from Monday to Tuesday, so right now I feel like the house has blown up a bit.  We'll be taking the Christmas decorations down soon.  I'm ready.

On today's to do list::::

 

The first thing the hubby and I did today was go to the gym.  After we got back, I hopped in the shower, had the kids get ready and out the door we went to the movies for the Monday Special.  On Mondays, at our local theater, everyone is $5.95 and you get a free popcorn.  Being the Monday between Holidays, the theater was packed!  We're lucky we go there early or we wouldn't have gotten to see "Road Chip".  It was really cute, but we had to sit so close to the front that I still have a kink in my neck!

  

Happening this week::::
 

Monday.....Gym and Movies
Tuesday....Cleaning Day and Wash Laundry
Wednesday....  Gym and Fold/Put Away Laundry, Prayer Meeting
Thursday.....New Year's Eve Game Night at Church.
Friday....Gym, New Year's Day Dinner at my Aunt Donna's house.
Saturday....Make Menu and Grocery List, Grocery Shopping.

Currently reading::::

On the TV today::::

We finished up the DVR'd fall episodes of NCIS.

On the menu this week::::

Monday - Out at Cici's.
Tuesday - Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, apples
Wednesday - Dinner at my brother's.
Thursday - New Year's Eve (I'm Making PB&J Crescent rolls.)
Friday - Pork and Sauerkraut at my Aunt's.
Saturday - Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
Sunday - Dinner at Church (Not sure what I'm taking yet)

What I am creating at the moment::::

I am currently crocheting a Beautiful Shells Afghan for the Family Room.  The colors are Magnolia, Passion and Brown.  (cream, burgundy and brown).  I'm also anxiously waiting for the BAMCAL 2016 to start on January 1st.

 

Prayers, Inspirational Quotes or Devotionals::::

I'm getting ready to start Walking with Women Thru the Word with Wendy Pope.  It is a year long reading of the Chronological Bible.  I did the study a few years ago and really liked it.  I can't wait to get started!

Happy Monday!!!

Linking up to :  Menu Plan Monday

Make it Monday ~ Audrey Sophia Slouchy ~ 12/28/15

 

 

My daughter, Kaylee, is the queen of slouch hats.  She can never have too many as far as she is concerned :)



 

  

 

I had a skein of RHSS Peruvian Print in my stash and thought it would lend itself well to the pattern I found on Ravelry called the Audrey Sophia Slouchy.  You can find the FREE Pattern HERE.

 

I love how the variegated yarn looks with this pattern.

When Kaylee got home from school and saw the Audrey Sophia I made for her, she squeeled!  I love when my creations make the recipient happy.  Don't you?

Please leave me a comment with a link so I can return the visit!!

Linking up to Making Memories Monday, Much Ado About Monday,  Making Your Home Sing , Inspire Me Monday, Merry Monday , Motivation Monday, Made By You, Creative Mondays, What'd You Do this Weekend and Pieces by Polly Block Party,  Monday's Musing and Making Monday, Stitch It Up and Hooking on Humpday, Yarn Along , Yarn Fanatic , Keep Calm Craft On.

Songs on Sunday ~ 2000 Decembers Ago by Joy Williams ~ 12/27/15

 

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

 

Blessings for the New Year, as well!

 

  

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

I'm also linking up to Spiritual Sunday and Counting My Blessings , Faith And Friendship , Grace And Truth , Dance with Jesus, Sunday Stillness, Give Me Grace , Sundays Down Under and The Weekend Brew.



Stacking the Shelves ~ 12/26/15

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

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This week I added the following to my shelf:

 

Exiled in shame and wounded in battle, Caden O’Byrne accepts a mission of penance—to search for his healer’s long-lost daughter. At worst, he’ll finally get his death wish. At best, this could be God’s second chance. But the lovely minstrel Sorcha wants no part in him, his newfound God, or the rescue. In fact, she’s robbed him blind—to help finance her work of buying young captives and returning them to their families. She’s also gone into debt and promised to marry a man she doesn’t love—all for the chidlren’s sake. But before she and Caden can sort out the situation, a treacherous murder forces them to run for their lives…together. While Caden’s rekindled faith is tested, Sorcha wonders if his God is real. If so, can a thief like her dare hope for His mercy? And do the two of them have a chance of reaching home—Sorcha’s real home—alive?

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The war is over, but her struggle is just beginning.

Charlotte Fraser returns to her late father’s once-flourishing rice plantation on the Waccamaw River, determined to continue growing the special kind of rice known as Carolina Gold. But Fairhaven Plantation is in ruins, the bondsmen are free, and money is scarce.

To make ends meet, Charlotte reluctantly accepts a position as tutor to the young daughters of Nicholas Betancourt, heir to the neighboring Willowood Plantation. Then Nick’s quest to prove his ownership of Willowood sends Charlotte on a dangerous journey that reveals an old family mystery—and threatens all that she holds dear.

Inspired by the life of a 19th century woman rice planter, CAROLINA GOLD continues Dorothy Love’s winning tradition of weaving together mystery, romance, and rich historical detail, bringing to life the story of one young woman’s struggle to restore her ruined world.  

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Audra’s father uttered his last words in a phone call: “Come home to Mermaid Beach.” Now she’s back—determined to find the truth.

Audra Davis believes her father was murdered. Her childhood sweetheart Kevin O’Connor, game warden of Mermaid Beach, is also suspicious of the accident—but he’s equally determined to keep Audra at arm’s length. She broke his heart years ago when she left without a word. He’s not about to lower his guard and let her get close again. He has his daughter Faith to think about. With his track record, he doesn’t think any woman will stay in down-east Maine’s remote windswept coast.

Hoping to discover what happened to her father, Audra takes over his mail boat duties, guiding his trusted boat on deliveries to see what she can uncover. Soon she finds letters from her birth mother—letters postmarked but never delivered. How could her father have kept them from her all this time? Do they have anything to do with his murder?

In spite of his doubts, Kevin thinks Audra might be right about her father’s death. As the only law enforcement officer in the area, he has a duty to help her track down the killer. Spending so much time together begins to rekindle the torch he’s carried for her all these years, but he still sees the guilt in her eyes that drove her away in the first place—guilt over choosing to spend time with him the fateful night her mother died instead of fueling her mother’s boat. Can Kevin and Audra navigate their way to each other before a murderer rips them apart forever?

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Happy Reading!

Weigh-In Wednesday ~ Week 0 ~ 12/23/15

 

My inspiration:

 

Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing

it for the Lord and not merely for people.   Colossians 3:23

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Well, it is that time of year.  The time to make set new goals and create new lists and use new planners.  That's what I do, anyway.

So, I'm back with Weigh-In Wednesday.  This time it will be a bit different.  This time I'm not going at the "get healthier" goal alone.  Who is my partner you may ask...

The hubby is my partner.

If you knew him, you would be asking yourself:  "WHAT?!?"  He's already as thin as he can be.  This much is true but he has expressed a desire to "get healthier".  He will be turning 50 in just a few short years and says that he is starting to feel his age.  His goal, of course, isn't to lose weight.  In fact, he'd like to gain some bulk.  His main goal is to increase his stamina and strength.

Me?  Well,  I'll be 40 in a few short years and I'd like to be able to live a healthier lifestyle in all areas.  My main goal is to lose weight but I'd also like to increase my stamina and strength.  Not to mention, I'd like to feel better about myself in general and exercising helps.

The Exercise Plan:  This Saturday, the hubby is going to join Planet Fitness where I'm already a member.  Starting Monday, we're setting our goal to go to the gym Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  On Tuesday and Thursday, we'll do some kind of exercise at home.

The Meal Plan:  Hubby is going to research what he should be eating and also talk to his dr.  I'm going to increase water and work on portion control and healthy snacking.

The Stats Plan:  I'm not sure yet how much the hubby wants to participate in reporting in, so for now, I'll mainly be reporting my stats.  I'm also going to start completely over at zero.  This is a new endeavor and a new start.  I'm going to go at it with a fresh attitude and a fresh set of stats.

This will all be starting next week, but I wanted to map out the Plan and also ask for your support.  I'd appreciate any feedback or ideas that you might have to help us in our goal to "get healthier".

This week's stats:

Miles:  0
Total Miles:  0

lbs lost: 0
Total lost:  0

Thanks for stopping by!  Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

 

Linking up to  WholeHearted Wednesday, R&R, Word Filled Wednesday, Coffee and Conversation, Ladies Collective,   Party in Your PJs,  The Mommy Club, Works or Me, Wake-Up Wednesday and  Women with Intention,  Workout Wednesday and Fitness Friday.

Teaser Tuesday ~ Trapped ~ 12/22/15

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. 

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My teaser for this week is from:

 

 

~"The house was quiet. 

Too quiet."~

Page 9

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Happy Teaser Tuesday!

Make it Monday ~ Shells Mobius Scarf ~ 12/21/15

  

This is the last Christmas gift that I made.  The pattern was on the label of the Red Heart Holiday in Red/Red.  You can also find the pattern on ravelry HERE. 

 

I loved crocheting the shell stitch.  It worked up beautifully in this yarn.

You can see that it is wide enough to be pulled up over the head to stay warm.

This was one of my favorite Christmas projects.  I loved the red :)

Please leave me a comment with a link so I can return the visit!!

Linking up to Making Memories Monday, Much Ado About Monday,  Making Your Home Sing , Inspire Me Monday, Merry Monday , Motivation Monday, Made By You, Creative Mondays, What'd You Do this Weekend and Pieces by Polly Block Party,  Monday's Musing and Making Monday, Stitch It Up and Hooking on Humpday, Yarn Along , Yarn Fanatic , Keep Calm Craft On.

Songs on Sunday ~ God Has Come to Earth by Aaron Shust ~ 12/20/15

 

Merry Christmas!

 

  

 

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

I'm also linking up to Spiritual Sunday and Counting My Blessings , Faith And Friendship , Grace And Truth , Dance with Jesus, Sunday Stillness, Give Me Grace , Sundays Down Under and The Weekend Brew.



Stacking the Shelves ~ 12/19/15

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This week I added the following to my shelf:

 

A talented businesswoman in the oil and gas business, Camille Gardner agrees to take on one last assignment for her uncle at the JandS Production Co. She would rather be anywhere than Samford, Louisiana, the small southern town where she once spent the worst month of her life. Most of all, she wants to move on to the art gallery job that is waiting for her in Denver. To fulfill the obligation she feels to her uncle and get on with the life she dreams of, Camille needs to entice a group of rural landowners to sell their mineral rights---and allow use of their precious water for the drilling of natural gas. Instead, she finds herself drawn to the local folk art created by those same landowners, and attracted to Marsh Cameron, the attorney representing them. Camille must decide whether family obligation---and her own plans for her future---are more important than the lives and tradition of this small community

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Embark on a seafaring adventure in a brand-new series from bestselling author MaryLu Tyndall.

They left everything behind to build a new Southern utopia...

After witnessing the death and destruction caused by the Civil War, Colonel Blake Wallace is eager to leave his once precious Southern homeland for the pristine shores of Brazil and the prospect of a new utopian community. Widow Eliza Crawford seeks passage on Wallace’s ship harboring a dirty secret—and a blossoming hope for a fresh start. But once the voyage begins, troubles abound. Dangers at sea and enemies from within threaten to keep Blake and Eliza from the new life—and love—they long for.

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When librarian Laura Griffin's sixteen-year-old sister disappears on a frigid February day, leaving only a brief note behind, Laura resolves to do whatever it takes to track down the runaway teen. That includes recruiting ATF agent turned PI James "Dev" Devlin to help. But the deeper he digs, the more he begins to suspect that something sinister is at work in the girl's disappearance. And the closer he gets to uncovering the truth, the clearer it becomes that the situation isn't just dangerous--it's deadly.
Chilling and at times terrifying, "Trapped" is the latest thrilling read from Irene Hannon, the queen of romantic suspense. Hannon outdoes herself with this fast-paced tale of fear, deception, and just the right dose of romance.

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Happy Reading!

Tea Time ~ Concerts and Crochet ~ 12/18/15

Grab a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or your favorite drink
while I share a few things that made me smile this week :)

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~I am so very glad to say that everyone in the house is on the mend from a super-yucky flu!  Now to get everyone back in their own beds :)

 

 

~The Christmas Concert at the school was a few nights ago!  It was Laken's first concert and the first time Laken and Kaylee were in the concert together :)

 

 

~All the present are wrapped!  We're ahead of the game this year :)

 

 

~The Official CCC Facebook Group announced that their new Crochet Along ( CAL) will start on February 4, 2016!  It is called "Mandala Madness".  Here's a sneaky peak :)

 

 

~After having to wear my glasses for almost 4 months, I was finally able to put my contacts back in!  This excites me to no end  :)

 

 

What made you smile this week?

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up with Friendship Friday, Friday Fragments, Five on Friday, Show Off Friday, Awesome Life,  Friday Favorites , High Five for Friday and OhHeyFriday and Love Made My Home.

 

In the Kitchen ~ Butterfinger Cookies ~ 12/17/15

 

 

Butterfinger Cookies

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (10 oz pkg) NESTLE Butterfinger Baking Bits

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.

Beat sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy.

Beat in eggs; gradually beat in flour mixture.

Stir in Butterfinger Baking Bits.

Drop by slightly rounded tablespoon unto parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

 

 

 

 

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up to:  Full Plate Thursday, Inspritation2 , Creative Ways, Grace at Home, Create It Thursday, Your Turn to Shine,   Project Stash  Homemaking Linkup and Home Sweet Home, Share Your Cup;  Grandma Ideas, Think and Make.