About Me

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I have discovered it is really hard to be Queen in a household with 3 princesses! Somebody is always borrowing my tiara! Well in between hunting my stuff down I am the proclaimed Queen in the Land of fluff (where my husband swears one day that he will die from glitter lung (you get the picture!) Besides that I am a dieting, exercising, crafting, biblestudying kind of girl.
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Sunday, January 22, 2012

A perfect pairing




The Lord makes me very happy; all that I am rejoices in my God.
He has covered me with clothes of salvation and wrapped me with a coat of goodness,
like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding, like a bride dressed in jewels. (Isaiah
61:10 NCV)



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday, January 20, 2012

Friday Favorites







I am SO Not a morning person! However when I put Mandisa's new song "Good Morning" I can't help but go get a little pep into my step! It makes me look on my day with an excitement at the possibilities that this day might bring. If you have not heard this song, you need to!






I am also enjoying my low calorie chocolate cupcake/muffin! When you are dieting & PMS hits -girls, this is the cure!!! I know there are several variations of this recipe but the taste & the texture is so right on my kids ask me to make them. Wow!





I just mix all the ingredients together with a mixer -real well so there is no "crunchy" part in my muffin. Bake according to the directions on the cake mix box. I use Duncan Hines Devil food cake mix, & then sprinkle 4-6 chocolate chips on top of batter in cupcake liner papers prior to baking.







I am also enjoying listening Zig Ziglar podcast, they are free on iTunes & are positive & motivational. Filling my brain with positive stuff as I work around the house.






My last favorite thing I am enjoying this week, is the above new foundation. I heard several good reviews on the product, & when I ran out this week I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did! It provides good coverage with a light shimmer to deflect light and give a more youthful dewy appearance, can you say "yes, please!".

Well those are my Friday favorites. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday, January 13, 2012

Miss America watch party




Our household (full of girls) treat the Miss America pageant like others treat the Super Bowl game. We are all a buzz getting ready for our party! Each daughter got to invite a friend for the night. We made up a "watch card" game that after you fill in a row you will get a prize. (sort of like Bingo). We have prediction cards made up, so who ever predicts correctly will receive flowers when the new Miss America is crowned. Special food is called for the special night. We will be serving "Miss America tickled pink punch", Miss Oklahoma twister dogs, & Miss Illinois red hot salsa & chips. (Miss Illinois is a red head & since I have a redhead I always try to point out a pretty redheaded contestant. Since in children movies the redhead is usually the bully or a nerdy kid. I want her to be proud of her beautiful red hair!) We are almost ready for the fun to begin, we are off to buy the sashes & tiara's today. Many of the girls are cheering for Miss Oklahoma, calling themselves "team Betty". So we are a biased crowd, we will be cheering on one contestant more than the others. I will blog more about this party later. Hope you have a great weekend! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Reality Check

Well I weighed in on National Weigh in Day, (January 2). Yep, you guessed it I did my best impression of Macaulay Culkin from "Home alone". Ah! I was back in the 200's (sob! I mean, gulp!). I weighed in at 202 pounds. However I knew what I needed to do, and got back on that horse. Remember I made it this far, I can do this. So I got back into gym class moving my body, started counting my calories again, and yesterday I weighed in at 196.6 (which is +7.6) where I was BEFORE the holidays started. I can live with that. Now I do not want to stay here! I am trying to reach 40 more pounds down, which just became 47.6 down for this year.

I can do this! So can all of you out there! This is our life! Are you happy at where you are? Are you happy at your level of physical fitness? If not, get started! Only you are stopping yourself! No more excuses, get moving! We can do this!!! So how are you all doing so far?

Monday, January 9, 2012

Youv'e got mail!

Oh do you remember when the Internet first came out, and the magical voice would announce when you had a "email", it would say "you've got mail". Did it make you excited? Did it make your heart beat a little faster? I know it did mine. I love mail!!

Well I am fairly new to Twitter. (I have been on it for over a year, but really only learning how to use in the last month -hey, I get busy!). One thing that is really neat is that you can "follow" people on twitter, and read their "tweets" or little shout outs. It is So much fun! I follow Beth Moore, Sheila Walsh, Tim Tebow, Bob Harper, etc.. Well the other day I read a tweet, that was written by a lady who is wanting to adopt a baby from a mother who is a drug addict, who is trying to fight her addiction. Sometimes good days, sometimes bad. The baby really needs to stay in the mother's womb about 7 more weeks. So she asked people to send letters or cards of encouragement to this special lady who is having such a hard time making it day to day.

The mailing address to send cards is:
Sanford Crisis Pregnancy Center
Attn: Marie Mondays
1002 S French Ave
Sanford FL 32771

The request is to pray for Marie, to fight her addiction. Also that the baby Anna that she is currently carrying, would not suffer side effects and would make it to a safe time to be born.
If you feel lead, please join me in mailing cards of encouragement to the above address. If you would like to learn more please look on twitter to follow: @ldharper, or look for www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Harper/120240462872?sk=notes to learn more.

Just remember how special it feels to receive mail, and think of blessing someone else with that gift. Thank you!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Am I a mom or am I a maid?

My family saw the new Muppet movie over Christmas break. The movie was fun, enjoyable, clean. My husband & I enjoyed the retro feel of the movie and getting a chance to introduce our kids to the "Muppet experience" that we grew up with.


Some of the new songs are really catchy and just stick with you. My girls favorite song was "Am I a man or am I a muppet" (lyrics printed below)
gary: i reflect on my reflectionand i ask myself the question whats the right direction to go i dont know am i a man
or am i a muppet if im a muppet then im a very manly muppet
am i a muppet or am i a manif im a man that makes me a muppet of a man
Walter: i look into these eyes and i dont recognizethe one i see inside its time for me to decide am i a man or am i a muppet
if im a muppet then im a very manly muppet
am i a muppet or am i a man
if im a man that makes me a muppet of a man
here i go againi think i made up my mind now i understand who i am
im a man im a muppet im a muppet of a man
im a very manly muppet this is what i am

So as I was trying to quickly get around this morning, I counted 3 pairs of shoes & 10 cups out in the living room, and dining room area (keep in mind there are only 5 of us who live here) and both me and my husband pick up our cups, and shoes.
Now don't you judge me! Unless your kids are perfect and ALWAYS bring there cups to the sink and ALWAYS put their shoes up. This is life at home with kids. However not the pattern of behavior I would like to teach them. So trying to keep a good attitude while teaching my kids to pick up after themselves, I redid the above song. So here is my remake to my now favorite Muppet song:
Am I a mom or am I a maid
I reflect on the cups and dishes strewn throughout the houseAnd I ask myself the question What's the right direction
Am I a mom or am I maid
If I'm a mom then my kids need to learn to pick up after themselves
If I'm a maid I really should get paid!
Am I a mother or am I a maid

(I think that is a question that I ask myself almost everyday :)
There that is me laughing at life hope they don't mind me playing with the lyrics! (if I could sing I would have for you, but trust me-that is one question I do not have to ask myself!). Hope you all have a good weekend!!!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Apps can help

While on my weight loss journey I have been open to try to use technology to reach my goal. I have tried some great apps, and some that did nothing for me apps on my iPhone. So I thought I would share some. Lose it, is my favorite app (also available on line!!!) to track calories and exercise for FREE!!! It's a life saver!


I have discovered that "water apps" apps that track the amount of water you drink a day, are SO not created equal!!!!! I love the daily water app (it is available for .99 from iTunes) it is worth every penny! Simple & easy to use and will text you (you set the when & how many times the app should send you a "reminder" text to drink your water). So important!! Because I get up and think "today I am going to be good & drink 8 glasses of water". Then as the day goes along I get busy & forget!!! I don't think about it again until 9pm. (I think that's a little late to be trying to get in 5 glasses of water!) So now I get text during the busy times & I go "I need to drink some water!". I may not hit my goal every day, but I am so more likely to drink a lot more water then on my own.


Action method app, & Getting Dreams done were apps I tried after reading a good review on. I found that getting dreams done is not an app that is ideal for weight loss, it is a good app but not for what I was trying to use it for. Action method is good for small business etc.. But also not for personal weight loss application, in my opinion. When struggling for weight loss I love any help from anyplace that I can. Hope the above reviews help you on your journey. Remember just keep going down the road & we will get there!!! using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

a Moms happiness

"A mom is only as happy as her saddest child" I heard Beth Moore use this quote in her Study "Esther". Wow! That is so true, my heart has been so heavy these last few months as my middle daughter has been dealing with unkind behavior from some girls, and being left out. It breaks my heart, so much at first I could not even blog about it, let alone barely talk about it. Can anyone relate?
It is amazing how things in life can be going along so smoothly, no cloud in the sky as far as you can see, and something can happen that just breaks your heart. Heart break is a funny thing, because no one can see it, no one knows it around you. Nobody can see that past your smiling face, that your heart is breaking, you are crying on the inside. Your heart is torn.

This last fall, we went to the first football game, which since we live in a small town, it means it was the social highlight of the month! Football games are Big here in Oklahoma, and a home game, means you better paint your toes, pick out a cute outfit, plan an early dinner because we are going out tonight! So, sorry I digress. We were at the first football game of the season, the crowd was humming with excitement. When my middle daughter asked to go hang out with some girls from school. I said, yes, but she needed to check in about every 30 minutes. I kept an eye out for her, I am a little protective. As I watched the girls interact through out the first half of the game, I picked up on some body language that some of the girls did not like my daughter. I was not overly concerned at this point, because not everybody likes everybody. At times we connect with some people, but not others. That is a fact of life. I get it.
When my daughter checked in, I asked her if everything was going OK, and was she having a good time, and would she rather come sit by us for a while, or another friend we had seen earlier. She said no, and went back to hanging out with her "friends". It was not another 10 minutes, that I saw the same group of girls running, and laughing looking back over their shoulders and hiding from someone. Yep, you guessed it. My daughter. About the time I was putting two and two together, I scanned my over to the entrance ramp into the bleachers and there stood my daughter confused, looking around trying to figure out what happened to her friends. As she stood there you could see when it finally dawned on her that her "friends" had ditched her, her young face displayed every emotion and thought she had. I was saddened for her, and waved at her to get her attention. Needless to say that evening was full of tears, and crying. I tried to point out that "real friends" don't act like this.
However, my daughters heart was broken, the girl that she thought was her best friend was one of the girls that ran away. To make things worse, she is in class with this group of girls. It has been a very hard year. She has been left out, and 3 of the girls have gone as far as ignoring her even at the table during class. I have tried to speak to the teachers they were very nice, but I have failed to see where anything has changed. It is a daily thing. Girls can be so cruel. Words do hurt, and they do leave marks, those marks on just on the inside. I try to tell her not to pay attention, find someone else to hang out with. However, when you only have 22 kids in your class and 3 of them are very vocal about being mean to you it is a hard situation to handle. Especially if you are only 11.

I have spent so much time in prayer for her. Praying that God would bless her with a friend. I have been praying for the girls that have been being so unkind to my daughter. Let me tell you, that has been the hardest, nothing shows me how much my ways, are different from Gods way, and how holy he is- because my flesh wants to tell those girls a thing or two about how mean they are being. I want to tell my daughter to be mean right back. However I know that the bible tells me we are to bless are enemies. Be kind to them. This is so hard to do-I'll be honest, it is even harder to give wise advice to a crying daughter. However this is where what I believe is truth, or its just a good story. I have to decide or choose what my response will be. Sometimes I feel that I make God proud, other time, I hand my head down in shame. However, I know God knows that I hurt, and that my daughter is hurting, and I know that God is in control, and I am praying that God's hand is on this situation. I know that my helps come from the Lord, so even though I am crying on the inside I will praise God, and trust him.

However at times, it just hurts. I think sometimes it's best just to acknowledge the pain and hurt, and be honest. So that is what I am doing. If you read my blog I would ask that you would join me in prayers asking for God's best for these girls & soften their hearts, as well that God would send my daughter a good friend. As well that I would have the wisdom to say the right things, and be an example to my daughter, and not "react" but "respond" correctly.
I know this situation is not an illness, or death, but it is a constant hurt, that is picked at each day that is not healing. I think the little things do matter to God. Thank you for your prayers, and support!!

Monday, January 2, 2012

National Weigh in day!

Well it's that time of year again. One that inspires us to either jump on the diet band wagon, or buy bigger clothes depending on how we chose to deal with possible weight gain from the holidays, or life. I enjoyed the last week, totally off my diet, I went to the movies with my hubby and ate popcorn, snacked on a few forbidden treats that had been off limits to me this last year, and only hit the gym 2 times last week. Ugh! I guarantee it, I am feeling it today!!!
I am weighing in today, which just so happens to be "National Weigh in day". I will post what the damage was for the last week, um.. or two. I hope it is not to bad. 2011 brought me a 60 pound weight loss, I am hoping that I can make good healthy choices, so that 2012 will bring me a 40 pound weight loss that will have me reaching my goal of 100 pounds!!!

"I don't need easy. I just need possible" ...Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer movie.

So it might not be easy to loose these last 40 pounds, but I know, I know! (now) that it is possible, so I am planning right now my success. I will post more on what I am doing, the little steps, and the little choices, that I am making that is going to allow me to hit my goal.

Theme Word for 2012

A few years back, I read how someone instead of just setting New Year Resolution, after praying about what God wanted to do in their life for the upcoming year, would choose a "Theme" word to focus on and pray on, and see what God would do regarding that word in their life. The thought was that by not setting real strict goals, that could "box" God in, and keep you from being lead to do something you never imagined to do. The focus being on God, and not what I could accomplish, I loved this!! So I started that tradition, the first year my word was "margins" God worked mightily to show me where to add margins in my life, and where margins were needed and where they were absolutely necessary. The second year, my theme word was Cultivate. I believe that God has cultivated in my life a more discipline quiet time with him, as well as a more healthy lifestyle over the last year. So this year when I started praying for the correct, or right theme word, it took a curvy path to end up at the right word. The Word God laid upon my heart was "Choice".
I really had no idea, that this was going to be the word God gave me for 2012! I thought it might be "resolution" which I thought was pretty funny since the whole theme word, came from not setting "new year resolutions". However the word "resolution" was thrust in my mind when I was watching a promo of the upcoming bible study that my small group is going to do. We are going to be starting the bible study based on the movie "Courageous". The women's book that accompanies this study is called "Resolution" it's premise as I understood it, is that the type of life we want is developed based on the small choices we make each day. So we as Christian woman should "resolve" or decide before hand the type of life we want, so that making decisions would be easy. I liked this and prayed about this, but God kept leading me back to the daily Choices we each make in that whole formula.
I admit that I am a geek. I love to know what words mean. So I looked up "choices" and could not find it in the dictionary, but I did find the word "Choice".

Choice (noun:)
1. The act of choosing
2. the power of choosing
3a the best part
3b. a person/thing chosen
4. a number & variety to choose among
5 a care in selecting

(which really got me saying, "yes, God I am so excited to see what you are going to bring into my life through praying for your Choice in my life)
then I read on, hitting the adjective definition of Choice:
1. Worthy of being chosen
2. selected with care
3a. of high quality
3b. of a grade between prime and good
(which Webster's defined "prime" as: the chief or best individual or part.

Isn't that what I want from my life. To give God my best or "prime" part of my life, and receive his best, or "prime" part of God. To make the right choice, as I live my life daily in the small things, to the big things in life. So that is what I am praying and focusing on and I can't wait to see what God is going to do in 2012!!!

So here is to living a "Choice" life! Here is to making the right "Choice" in 2012!!!

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