Midweek Confessions

So, it's Wednesday. E at emyselfandi is taking a break from Midweek Confessions this week, so I won't be linking up. However, I don't think I can go through a Wednesday without it so I'm doing it anyway :)



*Sunday was Mother's Day. My church did this awesome thing where all the moms walked the red carpet (paparazzi included) and had a photo taken at the end. After service the moms got to take their pictures home. My confession? It was really fun. Unfortunately, I don't think my career as a famous person is going to take off anytime soon because it was also a bit intimidating (and it wasn't even Hollywood!). Here is a picture of Riley and I getting our picture taken.



*Riley is going to Gatlinburg this weekend. He's 8. He's going on a trip without Terry or I. I'm really proud of him that he's brave enough to do this. I pretend that I'm totally okay with it. I'm secretly terrified.



*I really, really, really miss football :(
I love these boys. Switch out Jordy Nelson for James Woods and it might just be the perfect picture.


*The So You Think You Can Dance premier is next Thursday. I could not be more excited. I've been looking forward to it for months...literally. Like I was talking about it in December.



*So, I think I'm a little late to the link up party, but I really like blog link ups. It motivates me to write when I might not have otherwise, it gives me a topic to write about when I'm feeling un-creative, and it makes me feel like I am a part of something. Is it sad that clicking a few buttons on a computer makes me feel like I belong, lol.



*So, I definitely started writing this post yesterday because I went through a good half of the day thinking that it was Wednesday. When I found out it was only Tuesday I was a little sad.

So that's it for me this week. Nothing too juicy or funny or anything this week, just me.

Mug Swap

So I hooked up with FakeRain and We are Young for a Coffee Mug Swap.



I love presents and things like secret santa so this seemed super perfect and I'm really excited. I got paired up with Miss Morgan at Awkwardly Honest Fabulously Flawed You should check out her blog, it's super fun and she's adorable!

So basically, we will buy each other a coffee mug, send it, and blog about it. Fun, easy, and you get to give and get a present! So, what kind of coffee mugs fit me? Here are a few ideas (in case anyone else wants to give me a coffee mug ;)

I, obviously, love all things cute and girly so I love these Monogrammed Polka Dot Mugs, especially the pink ones!



I love the pretty, pink, henna designs on this one. I think they are so dainty.



I don't know what it is about this one, but I am in love with it!



I love lilies, so I think this lily mug is beautiful and it borders on cheesy without quite going over.



I had never really thought about coffee mugs before, so that was fun :) You should join the coffee mug swap too!!

Midweek Confessions

It's that time again!



So, without further ado...

*I buy cheap razors in the Winter. I figure I don't have to shave as often and if it's a crappy shave who cares, I'm wearing pants. However, during Summer we enter the world of capris, shorts, skirts, dresses, and swimsuits. That's when it's time to break out the big bucks and buy the good razors-the ones with multiple blades and an aloe vera strip. I get a little disgruntled when it's time for that, but that first shave is always so nice!


*I want Terry to be happy. I really and truly do. That's a huge step for me. I have finally come to accept that our marriage is over, so even if I can't be with him I want him to be happy.


*Riley had a very loose tooth this week and it needed to come out. He is the kind of kid who won't mess with loose teeth. He just turned 8 and that was only the 3rd loose one ever. This one was just hanging and was ready to come out. He wiggled it for a while and would pull on it a little and finally he looked at me with those eyes framed by those huge lashes and said "will you try?" So, I took a deep breath, grabbed that tooth and pulled. It came out, but I was sooooo grossed out. I could never be a dentist!


*Riley usually has pancakes for breakfast. Every morning he gets up between 6:00 and 6:30 comes into my room and says "Mommy, can I get up?" "Yes" "I want pancakes for breakfast." and I get up and make him pancakes. The other day we ordered pizza from Papa Johns and we got a cinnapie. That's what he's wanted for breakfast the last 2 mornings. I gave in. I figured it's kind of like a cinnamon roll, right?


So, we've got one confession about me, one about Terry, and two about Riley...sounds about right ;)

Dear Monday

So, today I am linking up with Megan at the Happy Day Blog for Dear Monday.

Dear Monday,
Please tell me that you will be better than the weekend!

Dear Weekend,
You had some redeeming qualities, but overall you sucked...do better next time.

Dear Riley,
You turned 8. Please stop growing and stay little!

Dear teeny-tiny brownie bites,
I made you while I was stress-baking. I brought you to work so I wouldn't have to eat you. Why are you so yummy?

Dear Florida,
I miss you. Hopefully I will see you soon. Take care of Terry.

Dear River City Worship Center,
You are an amazing church full of incredible people and I don't know how I would have gotten through the last 5 months without you. Thanks.


Happy Monday!

Midweek Confessions

It's that time again:


Wednesdays are beginning to become tolerable one of my favorite days of the week all because of Midweek Confessions!! So, without further ado, here are my confessions:

*I really adore PostSecret. If you haven't heard of PostSecret you need to click on that link and check it out. A guy named Frank Warren started a movement where he handed out postcards with his address on it to a bunch of people on the street. The instructions on the card said to reveal a secret they had never told anyone and send it back to him. To date he has 100s of 1000s of secrets sent to him and he posts a few every week. There are also PostSecret books. I have never sent in a secret, but I love reading other people's. Maybe that's why I like Midweek Confessions so much, it's a chance to share your "secrets" and read about others. I didn't make this secret...but I could have!


*My baby turns 8 (!) on Friday. This makes me feel soooooo old. He's awesome and I love him. Here we are a couple of weeks ago at Thunder Over Louisville!


*I am pale and proud of it! While putting on shorts the other day I noticed that I am pale...like almost ready to star in Twilight pale, ...and totally okay with it. There was a time in my life that I went to the tanning bed a lot. I started tanning my freshmen year of college and loved it. When I moved to Florida a few years later I stopped using the tanning bed, but spent plenty of time in the sun. When I moved back to Kentucky I started tanning again. Of course, most of the time I just used it as an excuse to get a 15-minute nap. I don't tan anymore. I have embraced my paleness. We'll see if I keep the same stance when I move back to Florida, lol.


*I am sad. Terry and I have managed to come to an agreement. Our attorneys have a little more legal jargon stuff to clean up on our agreement and then we can sign it and it will officially be filed. 60 days later I will be divorced....somebody's ex-wife. This is so heartbreaking. I cry at least once a day. I know that one day my life will move on and I'll be happy again, but right now I'm sad.


Okay, that one was a little heavy for Midweek Confessions. Here's one that's a little lighter!

*When it comes to weather I am a spoiled brat! I hate being cold and I hate being hot...I'm pretty much only happy when it's 72-ish degrees outside, sunny, breezy, and I have some shade if I want to utilize it. That's not to say that I don't enjoy outdoor stuff even if the weather isn't perfect. I've hiked in extreme heat and spent the entire day outside by a river when it's really cold and rainy. I can handle it...I just don't like it. It is going to be 90 degrees today...I am NOT pleased!


What are you confessing this week?

May day

2 Blogs 2 days in a row...what?!? Crazy, I know. And tomorrow is Midweek Confessions so we'll have 3 blogs 3 days in a row!

Today is May 1st. May is a special month for me. Riley's birthday is May 4th. Mother's Day is this month. My sister's birthday and anniversary are this month. For some reason this year I feel like May is going to be important. I'm not sure why, but I've been looking forward to May 1st for a while now. Here it is. Doesn't feel very special so far...:shrug:

I need some creativity in my life but I needed a little direction so I decided to do a Photo-A-Day challenge for this month.
This challenge is designed by FatMumSlim



I will probably be sharing my photos on instagram and twitter if you are interested in seeing them. I will also do a recap when the month is over with all the photos from the month.

I am also hopping back on the healthy living bandwagon starting today. Not doing anything extreme or anything, but the plan is to cut out soda for the entire month of May, eat a little better, and exercise a little more.

I don't know why I feel like May is important this year...maybe by the end of it I'll know.

What are you doing with your May?

Choosing Joy

So, life is crazy. There are ups and downs. There are things that you assume are constant and then aren't. There are things that make you happy. There are things that make you sad. There are things that happen that you think you will never recover from. There are things that happen that aren't fair.

So much has happened in my life lately that I don't know how to deal with. People tell me that I will be stronger in the end. That I am better off (or will be anyway). That I will be restored. That God has a plan. That God is in control. That I deserve better. Maybe they're right. But, right now I am sad. So, what can I do?

1 Thessalonians 5:16 says "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

Pretty much sums it up. I have to choose to be joyful. The Bible clearly says to always be joyful. That's not going to come naturally and there are going to be times (probably lots of times) that I don't feel like being joyful, but during those times I have to pitch a fit, stomp my feet and throw things on the ground choose to be joyful. I have to curl up in a fetal position and cry my eyes out choose to be thankful. I believe that it is a shift in mindset. I may feel sad, but that doesn't mean that I have to accept it. I reject the sadness and choose joy instead.

"How do you do that?" you may ask. Well, here are my remedies:

1. First and foremost I get out my Bible. Reading the Bible and spending some time in prayer is a great way for me to gain perspective. It reminds me of the goodness of God. It puts my heart back where it needs to be. Psalm 119:105 says "Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." Spending time with God, especially in His Word guides me and shows me how I should be thinking and feeling.


2. Nature. When I'm feeling down it helps me to get into nature. Sunshine, rain, fresh cut grass, stars, ocean, mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, flowers...any of these helps me feel more centered. Nature helps me to find my place in the universe. It reminds me that I am a part of something much bigger than myself, and while my problems are important, they are not the end of the world.


3. Creativity. Sometimes the best way to stop being sad is to get those emotions out creatively. My friend Amy (who writes a blog called Life With Luke which you should read because it is hilarious!)is an art therapist and is much better at explaining things like this, but in my limited knowledge of the subject it seems like expressing yourself creatively is a way to release thoughts and emotions out of yourself...sometimes it releases things you didn't even know were there. I mean, let's face it, how often did you see Bob Ross unhappy? You can paint, you can draw, you can sculpt, you can write, you can sing, you can play instruments, you can act, you can dance....there's a huge number of creative things you can do.


4. Talk it out. We all know about my love for therapy. A great way to get past the sadness is to talk it out. Maybe you don't want to go to a therapist, no problem, go to a friend. But, make sure it is someone you trust to not spread your business around and whose advice you trust, because when you start to talk it out you become very vulnerable. I also like this piece of advice when it comes to talking it out.


5. Exercise. Exercise releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy. Seems simple right? Well, I don't know if it's simple, but I always feel better after I exercise. If I'm feeling sad and stuck in my head I try to choose a form of exercise that I have to focus on rather than something that allows my mind to wander. For example, I'll go to the dojo and take a karate class rather than hop on the treadmill or elliptical for an hour. Yoga is also really great for refocusing your body and your mind.


These are 5 things that work for me. What do you do to help you choose joy?