Christmas Is Coming- Ready or Not!

Yes, it is almost here!  It is literally right around the corner.  Our house is officially decorated with all 4 trees 🌲. Yes, I said 4!!  We have 3 downstairs and one on the 3rd floor in Kaleb’s man-cave.  I don’t have any in my workout space because in my clumsiness I would probably knock it down and have a terrible mess!!!  None the less, we had our outside lights done by a company in town.  Our house is very straight up and goes 3 stories.  The thought of Bo climbing a ladder and going up THAT high was NOT an option.  After all, they buy the lights, they install, they take down, they store.  It’s a NO BRAINER!!!!  

I’m also sponsoring a Twisted Christmas Free Group.  I had a “Talkin’ Turkey” group and it was AMAZING and we had so much fun!  By popular demand, I came back with a Christmas Group.  Absolutely NOTHING to buy.  Just show up, share, enjoy, laugh and gather up some incredible ideas for gifts, family fun fames and of course a ton of food recipes and ideas!  If you haven’t jumped in yet, please let me know I will send you the link so you don’t miss anything.  WE START ON MONDAY!!!!  

It’s Saturday morning and we are at the bowling alley watching Kaleb crush it bowling.  He has grown so much and when he hits a growth spurt, everything with bowling has to shift and change.  It takes a few weeks for it to set it.  All the things from stance, to how you hold the ball, to how far back to stand and what arrow you are aiming for.  Bet you didn’t know bowling was so complicated....😁

I hope you are having a great weekend.  One last thing before I sign off on this post.........Make sure you drop your email over on the sidebar so you don’t miss any new post!!!  I have tons of exciting news and ideas for 2020.  DO NOT MISS OUT!!!!!!  

Pictures are worth 1,000 words

2020 will be a new decade!  Can you believe that?  I’m still amazed at the fact that 2019 is almost over much less we are entering into a NEW DECADE!!!  Where in the world has time gone?

On Social Media there is a new challenge floating around.  I am sure there are plenty of people that have taken part in it.  I absolutely love seeing them.  The best part is to see what people write about their own pictures and some are so very critical of themselves and then you read the comments from friends and family.  On the other had you have people that have had some drastic changes and they are so proud of what they have accomplished and of course the Congrats in the comments.  It’s really interesting to read.  So my question is this....Have you done the Decade Challenge?  Well, I did.  I had an eye opening experience doing the challenge.  It’s something that has “bothered” me for some time but this was the perfect timing for me to be able to share it.

Here is what happened for the Decade Challenge with me.  I’m wondering if may have happened with any of you????

So, obviously it is 2019 and we are to post a current picture next to one that is from 10 years ago.  Simple, right?  WRONG!!!!  My current picture was NOT a problem.  I probably take some type of “selfie” 5 out of 7 days of the week because of my business and/or running.   That was super easy.
I honestly thought finding one from 10 years ago would NOT be that big of a deal.  I would go into Facebook and look through the photo albums.  I scrolled.......and scrolled.....and scrolled.....and scrolled more.  I thought “well this is ridiculous!”.  I went to my Husbands profile and scrolled.....and scrolled......and FINALLY found one but it’s actually not quite 10 years.  It was a moment!  

A BIG MOMENT!

I knew that I was one that would hide behind a camera.  Years ago I would just cringe from having my picture taken.  It was before we had all of the fancy cameras and such.  Me in the picture would JUST NOT HAPPEN.  At that point in time, my thoughts never went to the fact that when my children or family looked at pictures for memories, I would not be in them.
 Let me say that again......when my children or family looked at pictures for memories, I WOULD NOT BE IN THEM!  Let that sink in for a minute.  OUCH! Then the tears!
The bottom line......MAMA, STOP HIDING BEHIND THE CAMERA! Your family and children are NOT going to look at your pictures  and pick them apart.  They are not concerned with your messy hair, your 5 pounds that you gained, your postpartum weight, or your menopausal metabolism.  THEY JUST WANT YOU!!!

My challenge for you, especially with the holidays coming, GET OUT FROM BEHIND THE CAMERA!  Be IN the picture.  It doesn’t have to be perfect.  JUST BE REAL!!!!!!

Grandmother and Granny’s Biscuits

THANKSGIVING is coming.  It will literally be here before we can blink.  I think it comes earlier and earlier every year.  At least that is the way that I feel.  Some people made plans for this year last year and some are making new plans this year and haven’t planned their menu yet.

I had a crazy idea to start a Facebook Group for Thanksgiving ideas and just called it “Talkin’ Turkey”.  I thought it would be fun to talk ideas, fun, kids activities and recipes.  Little did I know when I made the group I would have over 100 women!!!  Who knew?? 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️.   It is going to be absolutely amazing.  I have a ton to share and I hope they all enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed getting everything ready!  If you want to join, I would love to have you.  Just drop a comment below and I’ll send you the link.  We start on Monday, November 18th.

I thought I would take just a minute and share one of my favorite memories.  It is really hard to narrow them down but amazing food and family were always the center.  Our family was always in South Carolina for either Thanksgiving or Christmas.  We were always surrounded by Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins and nieces and nephews and anyone else that came.  I always say that my Daddy is from the city and Mama is from the country.  The recipes and the cooking are still the same.  Everything made with butter, whole milk, lard, white sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk and TONS OF LOVE!!!

 Granny’s biscuits were perfectly pinched off, rolled out in her hands and flattened by hand and every biscuit was the exact same size.  Grandmother’s biscuits were rolled out with a rolling pin and cut with a biscuit cutter or a tea glass.  Both were amazing and I would give anything to make them the way they did.  It was one of those things that there was never a “real written recipe”.  I would love to have a dozen of each to have on Thanksgiving.

My Mama’s dressing.  Well, let’s just say, I left home at 19 and today I am 51 and I have come close a time or two making dressing that taste like hers but never comes quite close enough.  There is something about the right amount of sage, broth, the bread combination and the right amount of celery, onions and butter.

What about you?  What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving memories?  I’d love to hear from you?  I could write and share for pages and pages and I just might make a few more post about memories for Thanksgiving.  Treasure your family and the time together!  Be Thankful!!!!

The Tuckahoe 25K

This past Saturday I did something that I had only dreamed about.  This was something that other people would do and it was on my “Some Day List”.  I had every reason in my head to NOT show up on Saturday.  The excuses were just flowing in my head.  This was equivalent to running 5 5K’s all at once on a trail I had never run.  I hadn’t even trained on a trail.  I had only been running on the road and now I was supposed to show up for a race.  I was scared out of my mind.

I had a bunch of friends that were all running and they were so encouraging and of course the “Race Dictator” was in charge and we already knew it would be an epic race.  The night before I got out my shoes......my new trail shoes.....to my surprise, I had come home with 2 left shoes.  SERIOUSLY!!!!!  I was so upset.  My sweet Hubby says, “Run to DICK’S!”  I knew that was not an option and wearing my other trail shoes would have to do.  

The day of the race was amazing.  We could not have asked for a better day.  Cool in the morning and a little warmer in the afternoon but not much.  I had my music, my phone, my friends, beautiful weather and it was time.  I took off and things were going pretty well until around mile 5.  Completely lost power in my phone.  AS IN NO BATTERY LIFE LEFT....5%.  I had 2-3 more hours to go on a course I had never run.  I was in panic mode for about 20 minutes.  I decided I was out there in the middle of this trail/park and continuing was the ONLY option.  I slid on a root/hill and my right knee was NOT happy.  Walking it was.  I knew if I stopped, IT WOULD BE OVER!  

Let’s just say- There was a lot of catch up on prayer time during the trail walk.  He knew what He was doing.  

I was between 2 groups of people.  I would walk with a group and then they would just kind of disappear and then the next.  It was just an amazing day!!!!  I FINISHED!  I walked across the finish line.  I got a high-five and a hug from the Race Dictator.  Yes, I cried.

I am still in shock that I actually did it.  It’s Tuesday and the soreness is gone.  For a lack of a better way to explain it, it’s kind of like childbirth.  You forget the pain after it’s over.  It was a race of determination and grit.  The question I keep getting is.....”Are you going to do it again?”  The answer is a RESOUNDING YES!!!!

Tuckahoe 25K 2020- Let’s Do This!!!!!

What Now? What to expect after the change.

The Blog has had a make over.

The look is very different.

Why change anything?  It was fine the way that it was.  Well, the reason for the change is that I have changed.  I am not who I was when this blog started.  I am, for a lack of better terms, older and somewhat wiser.  It was time for a fresh look and colors and it was time to come to terms with the reality that I have changed.  It was time for me to stop trying to fit in a box of the typical "fun-family-faith-fitness-food".  Granted all of that is still true and still applies but let's face it.....It Is Vague!  It was time to really get into the nitty gritty of exactly what that all means. 

So what can you expect from this blog, website, place of information and site of learning and growing is what I wanted to share with you today.

First- TOTALLY ME- Guess what?  I am not PERFECT!  I will be not be PERFECT this side of glory.  My grammar is not PERFECT.  My thought process is not PERFECT.  My appearance is not PERFECT according to many people. So, if you are looking for the PERFECT blogger, you will not find her here.  

Second- Total HONESTY!  I wanted a place to share and be completely and totally HONEST.  No sugar coating. No pretending to be someone I am not. No stepping on eggshells.  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the BEAUTIFUL highlight reel that we all see on social media and we compare ourselves to their "perfectly posed life" that we start second guessing and thinking our lives will NEVER compare to theirs.  So it may be a little RAW at times but it's HONEST.

Third and Lastly- I will share my faith.  I won't hide behind it. I won't tiptoe around it.  You don't have to agree with me and that is your choice but my FAITH is a huge part of WHO I am.  It's a huge part of our family and the activities that we participate in.  I may share stories, testimonials and scriptures.  No more hiding that part of me. 

We are all on a journey.  Whether it be a journey of health and fitness, or faith, or even discovering more about why you are here.  I'm excited to share my journey.  It may be in running, races, fitness programs, raising a PreTeen, having adult children, being a MiMi or even being the Godly Wife and Mother I pray that I am becoming.  I'm excited you are here!  I'm excited to go on this journey with you.  If you would like to be notified when there is a new post up, put your email in the box to the right.  You will be notified each time.  So excited for this new chapter.  Are you ready?

LET'S DO THIS!!!!! 

So where ya been?

Well, I figured I might want to back up and share a bit of what has happened since my last post.
We have moved to a new house.  Although it’s not “new” because it was built in 1925 but it’s new to us.  We sold our other home after being on the market for 9 months.  We were passionate about selling without a realtor and a lot of people thought we had lost our mind.  We knew we were doing the right thing and not only were we blessed but the sweet couple that bought our home was blessed as well.

Kaleb has made it to 7th grade and I am still in denial that we hit the teen years as of January 2020.  I am not sure where time is going but it is flying.  He is still bowling and actually running some races with Bo and I.  I encourage him to run of course but don’t push him.  Of course he still loves his Beyblades and his Pokémon cards.

Bo is doing great.  He still of course loves his job.  Hold on to your hat but he is now running!  Never in a million years did I think he would be doing such.  He has even run a race and we are signed up for a race this weekend.

Older children are doing wonderful and the grandchildren are too.  So very proud of all of them.  I wanted to give you a quick run down of where we are and in the next couple of post, I want to share where we are going.

Come and go with me!
It’s going to be a ride!!!!

I Am Back!!! ❤️❤️

It was about time!

I had been waiting.  I had been trying to figure out so many ideas.  I had the idea that I had to stay under the umbrella that I had created when I started this blog years ago.  The infamous “Food-Fun-Fitness-Faith-Family”.  There is NOTHING wrong with those words.  Absolutely nothing!  They are just fine but they are vague.  They don’t tell you anything specific about what you will find when you visit this blog.  

Last week I was struggling because I wanted to write and to share but felt like there was not a place for me to do so.  Then I listened to a call from a business leader that I admire greatly!  Melanie Mitro was doing a call about branding.  The bottom line question for me in her call was “Who are you?”.  

It hit me like a ton of bricks.  I was looking and praying for some answers and I got them all in one day!  It was absolutely amazing!  I was just in awe!  That sparked the Blog-Overhaul that has taken place here.  I absolutely LOVE what my friend Tracey has done here!  It’s just beautiful and exactly what I was looking for!  

I am super excited about what is coming.  A lot of recipes, encouragement, videos, funny stories, and sharing life with my readers.  I am so grateful for all of you! 

PLEASE put your email in the sidebar and you will get an email every time there is a new post. I do NOT share emails with anyone!! 

Thanks again! 😘