Baseball tourney = mini vacation for me!

Wow, what a week we had! We knew we were going to be in Jupiter/West Palm Beach, Fl for atleast 7 days but could be 10. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE watching my son play ball. He is amazing to watch & he is completely in his element while on the field. I just thought being away for that long in a hotel would really break me AND the bank. I finally realized before the trip I need to see this as a vacation for me and the kids as my DH worked around the games. (He is blessed to have a job he can do that with). We stayed at a GREAT hotel - Hawthorne Suites We had 2 nice sized beds, a very large bathroom & a living room area completely with a little kitchen, full size fridge & 2 burners.



Now, there were 5 of us in this room most times and honestly while it was tight, it was very nice. I didn't mind at all having my family so close. The hotel employees were just wonderful. Having lots of baseball families there they put up with alot. Our boys did have curfews but they are also teenage boys that are quite active. They played a rendition of wiffle ball in our hallway and the parking lot any chance they could. They hooked up a game station (can't remember xbox/playstation who knows but them) on the tv in the sitting area down by the lobby and they hung out down there. They were very well behaved but really the employees there were really good about things.

I did get to visit the fitness room and it was so nice & clean. I made myself run on the treadmill 2 days I was there. The rest of the time I improvised with other things like running the stairs til my legs felt like they would fall off. I took my own hand weights & also did squats when I couldn't get out otherwise.

The boys had games every day we were gone but one. Wednesday I decided we needed to see the beach down there. I love our beach here but honestly when I saw the Jupiter beach I had to stop for a moment to take it all in.
I was truly taken aback by the beauty of the color of the water. The sand was a little coarser than we are used to but it was so beautiful. The water was so clear the boys could put their mask on and go out and see clear down to the sand to look for shells & rocks. We had so much fun.







We spent lots of time at the pool at the hotel too.













How did the boys do? They made it to the semi-finals & the last game was a game between pitchers. The game went 7 innings 0-0. The 8th inning went to a tie-breaker & we lost. The boys played hard in the heat & should be really proud of themselves. I know we are!





We are back to life as usual for a few more days. Just til the next tournament. No more nights away though.






I hope you are having a great summer & can find some time to enjoy your family. I'm learning so much more every day that there are things that just need to take priority. I take so much forgranted.

Be Blessed & Healthy!!

(please pay no attention to the date on the pictures. I had to change my batteries & it wiped out my date -- duh)

Healthy Eating

I have a friend that was told she was "predisposed genetically" for things like high cholesterol. She made a decision to make some changes to her lifestyle starting with exercise and then changing her family's eating habits. She has chosen to be vegan which is when you don't have any animal products at all (eggs, dairy, etc). In doing so her latest blood work came back (drumroll please) NORMAL!! I'm so very proud of her. She is also in the middle of the "Coach to 5K" program. That is where you start off walking 5K (approx 3.2 miles) and by the end of 9 weeks you are running. She is doing AWESEOME. As you know I love to run and am really excited that I have a friend that is so excited about running and I will hopefully have a running partner very soon. We hope to sign up for a 5K as soon as her 9 weeks is up.

So I am not only writing this because I'm just so darn proud of my friend but I'm writing this to say hey, you can do this too! It does work. While I can't guarantee all your numbers will be in the normal range I can tell you that you will feel SO much better making yourself healthier. God created our bodies for so much more than what we put in them and what we do physically. Push yourself and see what you can do. You may just surprise yourself!! I would love to hear about your progress or what you have done in the past to make you and your family healthier.

I wanted to start this blog to maybe pass on some of the things I have learned and possibly help someone else take a step toward better health. You can do the same! Share what you have learned with someone. Grab a friend for a workout. Get out there and make things happen. You deserve it!!

Be Blessed & Healthy!!

"Choosing To See" by Mary Beth Chapman with Ellen Vaughn

I have just finished reading this book and was completely taken in and convicted of many things. Mary Beth Chapman is very open and real in this book. She covers alot of her history before talking about the accident that took her daughter Maria's life & threatened her son Will's faith (and the whole family) as well. This is a book I would absolutely want to own and reread as often as possible. As I am on the cusp of watching my first born go on his way to college & start a new part of his life, watching our 2nd son enter the sometimes scary world of teenage-dom & our daughter is just starting really being just 5 I realize how much I need to treasure & hold on to every moment, moody or not. I want to make sure I let my children know I love them happy, grumpy, sad or mad. They are loved by me unconditionally. I need to remember that when my depression decides to show it's ugliness that I have 3 very impressionable young lives here that are just as affected by this. Asking for help is ok. Sometimes that might mean taking a little pill that will help some of the symptoms of depression. That might even mean seeking help in the form of therapy.

Mary Beth & Steven Curtis Chapman are real people and they live their faith outloud. I have loved SCC's music for a long time and MBC quotes many of his songs in her book. The songs mean so much more reading all they have gone through. It amazes me how they have gone through such a horrible tragedy and can continue to "chin up" and help to lead people to Christ through all this.

I hope this makes sense. I hope you go out and get this book & read it. Let me know what you think of it. I hope it touches you as well.

http://marybethchapman.com/?page_id=74

http://www.amazon.com/Choosing-SEE-Journey-Struggle-Hope/dp/0800719913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307396111&sr=8-1

Be Blessed & Healthy!!

The Versatile Blogger Award

My wonderful blogging friend, The Not So Perfect Housewife, put me on her Versatile Blogger Award list. Now, being a new blogger this had me for a few minutes on how to go about following through with this. So here we go.




Here are the rules:
You have to share 7 things about yourself and then pass along the award to 15 other bloggers.

Here are 7 things about me:

1 - I live in Florida & while I never thought I would even enjoy living here I'm happy to say I call it home and truly mean it! When I go up north to PA to visit Mom & Dad I am cold and miserable. I love the heat here!!

2 - I love to scrapbook but NEVER find the time to anymore. It's something that is on my mind alot as to how I could scrap some pictures I just took. Maybe some day....

3 - Blogging scares me! Why is that? Don't have any idea. My friend just helped me revamp my blog & I couldn't believe how much I didn't know & how nervous it made me to change things. I do love a challenge though!!

4 - I love baseball! It took my boys to be playing it but I know alot more than I ever thought I would. Hey, one day I may be watching one of my boys in the pros!!

5 - I have needed my 5 yr old daughter to teach me how to play again. Really, the make-pretend part of my brain fell asleep a long time ago.

6 - I am addicted to exercise (Ok, if you follow my blog you knew that already). When I'm out running & can't stand it anymore and feel like I'm going to quit I start going through scripture that I know that will help me keep going. I imagine Jesus just being right beside me.

7 - My husband and I took ballroom dance lessons for 2 yrs. I loved it and hated to stop. It was the only time he and I got to really be together & alone (well, except for our instructor). One day when our kids are living their own lives we will dance again. I just know it!!

Here are some blogs that I follow pretty regularly that I would love to pass this on to:

Your Successful Family

Fit Food Lover

Confessions of a Daydream Believer


I know there aren't 15 but this is a good start!!

Be Blessed & Healthy!!

He-Woman

For my "Wordless Wednesday" just had to post this one.