Finishing What I Started

     Around two years ago, I started my weight loss journey. I set a very high goal to lose X amount of pounds. I have lost two-thirds of my goal. I never dreamed I would actually come this far! I feel wonderful. But I really need to finish what I started. I can't quit now! I have to give it 100% effort and achieve my goal. I know I am going to have to work extremely hard to reach my goal. I decided I needed some motivation. So, I created colorful inspirational quotes to place around my apartment so when I see them I am reminded to exercise wholeheartedly, eat healthily, and most importantly to not give up!!! I also found a couple of fun ideas on Pinterest. The first one is a visual reminder of the pounds I have lost and the pounds I need to lose {glass stones in vases}. The second one is a binder with tips, recipes, workout ideas, notes of when I make good decisions, and weekly progress. My blog will also be motivation because I will come back in one month to record my progress.
     As I am writing this I am also watching The Miracle Worker which is a movie about Anne Sullivan teaching Helen Keller who was deaf and blind. She never gave up and all of her hard work and perseverance paid off when Helen finally understood her first word. I know that was a completely different situation than the one I am in, but that same perseverance can be applied to my weight loss efforts. Hard work pays off.....So, here I go! Wish me luck!!!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fu-un!

     My friends had the fabulous idea to have a "spa" day this weekend. Not actually go to a spa, but a DIY spa! So, we gathered at Elizabeth's house for a fun, relaxing afternoon. First, Becky and Elizabeth enjoyed pedicures. After that we took turns doing each other's hair and makeup. Then, we went to dinner and continued to enjoy the night. Our night included lots of laughter. Nothing like a fun day with your girls!

Beautiful Nature

     Recently on my walks with Effie, I have been noticing a lot of beautiful flowers, plants, and wildlife that surrounds me. All these beautiful flowers that are just growing randomly in the wild amazes me. God is so good and incredibly creative! Here are some pictures that I have been taking. 

Disclaimer: Pictures do not accurately capture the beauty that I see in person.

Effie loves going for a walk!

Looking up-nice view!

Cattails

These are really funny looking!  

Hard to see but there are purple flowers on this vine.

Really pretty

Beautiful butterfly! I think it is a Viceroy.

Basking in the sun! 

Such unique and interesting leaves!

These are everywhere

Yellow beauties!

Another fluttering butterfly

EEK! Pretty sure this little guy was dead, but I certainly
didn't get too close to find out for sure!

This is a Maypop or purple passion flower.
So pretty and unique!!!

I used to pick these at my grandmother's house.
They grow from these little green balls that kind of look like a lime.
If you look hard enough you may be able to see one in this pic.

Busy little bee

Morning Glories!

Hello, Sunshine!

Mr. Moth relaxing

Lord, you are great and powerful.

    Glory, majesty and beauty belong to you.

    Everything in heaven and on earth belongs to you.

Lord, the kingdom belongs to you.

    You are honored as the One who rules over all.

1 Chronicles 29:11

Cheesecake, Kenyan Stew, and (dare I say) Farkle!

     A couple of days ago, my new edition of Southern Living came in the mail. I skimmed through it and saw a recipe for Caramel Apple-Brownie Cheesecake. This sounded delicious and I pretty much had all the ingredients on hand except for a few. I decided to get the missing ingredients and tackle this recipe! It really was not hard at all even though I may or may not have accidentally burned the apple topping, lol. Thankfully, it turned out nicely and all in all was pretty tasty. 

The major players. Apples from my dad's tree!

Finished product :)

     My friend Elizabeth just returned from a mission trip to Kenya. She invited a few of us over for a traditional Kenyan meal. She made a Kenyan stew which contains beef, potatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, zucchini, and a mixture of spices called mchuzi. Along with that, she made chapati, which is similar to a tortilla. It was delicious! And for dessert, she made mandazi which is a fried donut with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. It tastes like a beignet or a funnel cake. And to top it all off, we also had the Caramel Apple-Brownie Cheesecake. We were stuffed to the gills!

Kenyan stew and chapati!

     After dinner, we played Farkle. If you've never played this game, you really need to get it. It is a dice game that is quite entertaining. Most of the fun comes with just saying the word. Try to say it without laughing. Farkle, Farkle, Farkle. Can't do it can you? If you are a farkler you completely understand....

     Food. Friends. Farkle. What a fun night!

Reminders

I have a heavy heart for a couple of different reasons tonight. Because of a tragic accident that happened today, I am reminded again that life is short. It is precious. It is a gift from God. We should live it to the fullest and make the most of every opportunity. That way there will be no regrets when we take our final breath.

I can honestly say that I have been trying to do that recently. God has done some amazing things in me and I have grown leaps and bounds as a person. God has definitely been working on me! He has been using several events in my life to shape me. I have always been incredibly shy, quiet, reserved, and quite honestly, unsure of myself. This past year, He has helped me lose weight, become more outgoing, take risks, and be comfortable in my own skin. He has given me a confidence that I've never had before. Those who know me best can testify to the change that has occurred in me this past year. I honestly feel like a whole new woman! I praise God for all these changes in me. 

I still have insecurities and lots of questions in my life. But I have to trust Jesus and give everything to Him. One thing I'm still learning is to not worry about what people think of me. It really shouldn't matter. And by that I mean I should not be scared to do something or be myself around others for fear of rejection. Life is too short to worry about that. Be myself. Be passionate about what I do, believe, and say. Don't be mediocre. Life is too short for the mediocre and mundane. Take risks even though they may not pay off. I'm not saying to live carelessly. But live purposely, intentionally, and passionately. Prayerfully exhaust every option until there isn't one left. Don't settle. Make the most of every opportunity. Trust Jesus through it all. 

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1

Back to School...Back to Speech!

     I can hardly believe this year marks the beginning of my 4th year as a Speech-Language Pathologist! It seems just like yesterday that I graduated and found a job working at a school. I love working with the children. They each are very precious and special. I hope I can make a difference in their lives and help them improve their communication skills. Here's hoping we all have a fun and successful year!

A little glimpse into my therapy room:

Speech Sound Wall Chart: idea from  slplearningcurve.blogspot.com

A Very Merry Unbirthday!!!

   I don't really remember how or when it started, but it has become a tradition in my family to wish each other a "Very Merry Unbirthday!" the day after the person's actual birthday (even though every day but your birthday is your unbirthday, lol). This is actually a song from Alice in Wonderland. I do know my dad was the one who always sang this song to me after my birthday, so I guess he unintentionally created a fun tradition. As crazy as this sounds, I actually enjoy singing this song more than the happy birthday song to the person. And I LOVE getting to sing it to my dad! Today just so happens to be his "special" unbirthday and first thing this morning I was able to call and sing him the song. This is just something fun and special that we do in my family and I'm glad I got to hear him smile and laugh about it!