Super Bowl Saturday

I'm linking up with Sarah today for some Super Bowl talk!

1. Do you watch the actual game or only watch for commercials and half time?
The game.  If you know me, you know I love football!  Funny commercials are just a bonus.

2. Which team did you want to make it to the Superbowl?
I enjoy keeping up with the Titans, but they made it clear early on they wouldn't be contending this year.  As the playoffs rolled around, I jumped on the Ray-Lewis-is-retiring-Go-Ravens bandwagon, much to the dismay of all my Peyton/Denver loving friends.

 

3. Which team will you root for? The Ravens or the 49ers?

Yup, still cheering for the Ravens.  There is actually a guy from my hometown on the 49ers, so I wouldn't be disappointed at all to see him win a ring!  I just hope it's a great game!

Looking forward to a good time with friends and football, two of my favorites!

Tuesday Randoms

1.  Saw on SkinnyRunner's blog today where she said you can't out run or out exercise a bad diet.  Hmmm, maybe that's my problem.

2.  I heard on the radio that leafy greens are the biggest culprit for food poisoning.  I ought to be safe on that one..

3.  Strawberries seem to be coming back, yay!!!

4.  I signed up for the Country Music Half Marathon in April, woo-hoo!!  Excited and scared!

5.  Work is kicking my rump this week.  I work, go home, and work some more.  Not the most fun, but I'm seeing the light... I think

6.  A friend at work brought in the most delicious turtle brownies today.  Wow!

7.  See #2 and #6, I'm pretty sure February's mini goals are going to have to do with getting my eating under control!

8.  It was crazy warm this morning.  I ran in shorts!  And in good Tennessee fashion, it appears I will be in fleece lined tights in the morning.

9.  I'm concerned about my bug guy.  He never misses an appointment and he didn't show up to spray this morning.

10.  My sister, my cousin, and I had makeover night last night.  Very fun!  Cousin is a makeup pro, and I think sister's notes and drawings are going to leave her with a fun new look!

11.  I bought this curling wand, and first try was a fro disaster, but I'm liking the results today!

Happy Tuesday!  Smile and make someone else smile today!

Babysitting at it's Best

I need to take a moment to flash back to last month when my cousin agreed to go to with me to my sister's house and babysit when her sitter cancelled on her, because I was terrified to do it on my own thought it would be more fun with two of us.

Emily is definitely the baby person...

 

I'm a fan of those who can walk and play...

 

I wanted him to smile, so I said to show teeth, this is the result...

 

Fletcher was sad...

 

And made us all sad...

 

Time for a photo session...

 

Where I played with the flash and made Will look scary...

 

And the final collage of the night...



2013 Theme

I've seen several bloggers who focus on a theme for the year.  Neat idea.  I've been thinking about what mine would be.  I have it.  It's TRUST.  Trusting God in everything; not trying to manipulate things to go the way I want them to go.  I can already see it making a difference.  My heart is lighter, my burdens not as heavy.  He's got this.  That doesn't mean His plan will always necessarily be what I think it should be at the moment; it doesn't mean things will be easy for me; it doesn't mean I won't make mistakes.  But it means I don't have all this weight on me of analyzing all these aspects of my life and trying to figure them out.  I'm not in control, at least I don't want to be anymore.  I want God in control, but the only way I can really let that happen is to really trust, even WHEN THINGS DON'T GO MY WAY The underline and capitalize is for me, to remind me, trusting means I'm not allowed to make all the decisions; I can't say I'm trusting then when things take a turn, try to shift everything back to my plan.

I think I've repeated myself about 10 times now, but I have to, because God has been trying to tell me this for years now, and I've ignored it.  Seriously, lately it seems like every devotional I read is about trust.  I get, God, I'm finally getting it.  So, if you see me, if you talk to me, on the days I'm feeling confused and frustrated, remind me, TRUST.

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.

This morning I was telling a friend about my theme of trust, and she sent me this verse...

Psalms 112:4,7  Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man...  He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

So here's to a year of trust and watching God's plan unfold in my life :-)

21 graces

  I'm linking up with Jordy today for 21 graces.  She decided to begin recording 3 graces (what I might call gifts) every day and then listing them each week.  I think it's such an awesome way to keep my mind in thankful mode.

 

1.  Extended breakfast chat with a friend.

 

2.  4.5 mile run with no pain.

 

3.  A night to relax and catch up.

 

4.  A sermon that spoke to me.

 

5.  Football with friends.

 

6.  God providing me devotionals with the same theme to make me listen.

 

7.  Fun co-workers.

 

8.  The ability to work all night.

 

9.  Friends you can ask to pray for you on hard days.

 

10.  A walk with a friend.

 

11.  Rejoicing with others in their accomplishments.

 

12.  A mom who never fails to make me laugh.

 

13. Pictures of my nephews.

 

14.  Running

 

15.  Pro/con lists with a friend.

 

16. Blog posts that challenge and inspire me.

 

17. Catching up with friends from the past.

 

18. Sharing in the joy of engagements with friends.

 

19. Sprouting buttercups.

 

20.  Lots of coffee at my favorite breakfast place.

 

21.  A clean bedroom.

 

 

Flashback: My 30th Birthday

I can load pictures again!!!!!!!!!!  I don't know how, I don't know why, but woo-hoo!!!


I have fantastic family and friends.  For my 30th birthday, my sister, Clair, and my friend, Brianne, organized a scavenger hunt for my birthday.  I came back across the pictures tonight.  They crack me up!

I can't remember what all was on the list, but the teams were to take pictures as they executed the tasks.  I only have two teams pics on my computer, so I'll share some of those.

 

Hostess Brianne snagged some mild sauce for points

Hostess Clair, um, can't remember why a plastic whale would score her points

 

The rest of Bri and Clair's team.  They thought this counted as taking a shower. hmmm

 

And my team, hanging out with the canon on the square.  Cute, aren't they??

 

Erin with the sombrero

 

John took on the sombrero for our team

 

 Even got the WalMart folks in the game to spell out my name

 

 Pre cartwheel

Cute girls on the slide

And the one that almost makes me wet my pants every time I see it... the boys spelling out my name...

 It was such a fun way to celebrate turning 30.  Some of these friends have been with me always, some are newer, but they all have in common they are some of my favorite people in the whole wide world!!

 

I would definitely encourage a scavenger hunt sometime.  We all had a blast.  Just find a creative person to come up with tasks, grab a camera to document completing the tasks and off you go.

 

Thanks so much to the organizers and the partiers!

Random Wednesday

1.  I still can't post pictures.  My lack of blog skills is reaching a point of utter frustration.  I've tried different  computers, downloaded Mozilla, looked at settings.  I do not know what I've done, ugh!!!

2.  The 4 pounds I wanted to lose has turned to 6.  I think the February goals may have to work on food, or maybe a little lack thereof.

3.  I think I signed up to host a Super Bowl party for friends of friends, and the first tier friends won't be attending.  Does that make sense?  I don't think I explained that well, but they are fun folks who love their football, and I love to host, and I have two couches (much to my running pal's chagrin)

4.  I think my red jeans have shipped!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5.  Going back to Pure Barre tonight.  I'm sorry, arms, I'm sorry.

6.  How fun is it to see others around you succeed??  Love that!

7.  I watch Sports Center... for fun... until baseball season starts.

8.  I've jumped on the Ray-Lewis-is-retiring-Go-Ravens bandwagon.  My football boys have shunned me.  I don't care.  Go Rayvens (did you see that play on words there?  sometimes my cleverness amazes me)

9.  I hate every.single.time I lose in any of these phone games, Words with Friends, Scramble, SongPop, Matching... good thing I'm pretty darn good :-)

10.  My friends at work gave me a Lulu Lemon gift certificate for my birthday.  How cool!!!  I'm hoping to make it to Nashville in time to do some shopping with it this weekend.  I hear capris and running tights calling my name!

Happy Wednesday!! 

Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men