Ten Things I Love About VBS

It's that time of year again! I absolutely LOVE Vacation Bible School! Last year I wrote a similar list about VBS, but I love it that much that I am writing another list this year.


1. This is the first year that Ladybug (3 years old) gets to be in a class and do all the activities. This alone is reason enough for this Mama to be ecstatic!

2. Watching Ladybug play and interact with her friends make me ecstatic too!
3. Leading music with my Hubby means that we get to spend time together - woohoo!

4. I also love seeing and working with the teens and adults of the church. What a great crew we have this year. And I really love these people!

5. Even if it's just kids trying to be silly, I love hearing them yell/sing, "I'm gonna tell everybody it's You that saved me!"

6. I am getting lots of activity and lots of extra steps this week!

7. I don't have to cook supper this week. The wonderful kitchen ladies cook for everyone, which I think is brilliant.

8. I really like working with the kids. They are awesome. (And Hubby told me that he likes watching me work with the kids.)

9. The songs are catchy and stick in my head for weeks. That might be annoying to some, but we teach the good songs.

10. Most of all, I love VBS because I love learning and being with others who are learning more about Jesus Christ!


A Top Ten list simply cannot convey how much I love VBS. It's one of the most awesome ministries that I participate in.

For more Top Ten lists, visit the lovely Oh Amanda!

Mamavation Week #30

Where has the week gone? I finally feel like I am in a groove, then another week shows up with its demands and schedules.

Here's my weekly recap:

Exercise: I did cardio 6 days out of 7. I ran, I biked, I walked, I Pilate'd. I am counting lifting & carrying boxes as my upper body strength training for the week. Got LOTS of steps. Only one day under 12k (which is my daily goal), and two days were above 13k.

I really am enjoying running, although it is still a walk/run ("wunning"). I had a couple of running questions that I posted on Saturday, so if you're a runner, I'd love your input.

I'm going to ease up a bit on the exercise this week. We have five nights of Vacation Bible School (Sunday-Thursday), and Hubby and I lead the music. We do tons of choreography and sign language with the songs, so that makes for a very active week. Plus, we're moving to a new house this week. So, lots of carrying, lifting, walking, etc, etc.

Food Journal: Back into my daily habit of keeping my food journal (I use SparkPeople). I have actually upped my calorie intake a bit this week (by 200 calories/day), because with all the activity, especially running and getting extra steps, I started feeling weak and drained. I'm staying on track with keeping processed foods to a minimum, and focusing on 7 servings of fruits and veggies every day.

I know some of you also subscribe to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), so you understand that sometimes you get foods that you just don't know what to do with. Two weeks ago, and again this past week, we got a large bag of raw peanuts. You know you live in the South when raw peanuts show up in your CSA basket! I roasted some the first time, but I also boiled some. And I boiled all of them this week. I never used to be a fan of boiled peanuts until I made them myself. Oh, Mylanta! What a great snack! I'm converted! (And they are the South Carolina official state snack, don't ya know.)

This week, nutrition will be a big challenge. We eat dinner as part of VBS, and all of the meals are akin to public school lunches. Not only is there white bread, there are precious few veggies. I am taking carrot sticks for Hubby, Ladybug, and me (and anyone else who wants them), so we'll have at least one veggie. (I don't mean this to be a negative comment toward the wonderful women who work the kitchen at our church. When you have a budget and are feeding 100 people a night, it's a tough job.)

The Scale: After not being able to weigh in last week, I decided that I'm not going to weigh in until after we move. I don't want to be tied to a number, then get into a new house with different floors that make the scale saying something different. So for my own mental health, I'm taking a week off from the scale. I'll re-check my measurements after week get moved as well. I know I'm doing well because I feel good, I'm exercising, and I'm eating good food.

Because of moving and VBS, I don't know that I'll have tons of computer time with week. I'll get to as many Mamavation posts as I can. Thank you SO much for your continued support and encouragement!

Running Questions

If you had told me even a year ago that I would enjoy running, I would have laughed at you. I've never been a runner. In the 8th grade, I decided to go out for the cross country team because a boy I liked was on the team. I think I ran twice and gave up. Even when I was fit and worked out every day in college, I never liked to run. Too much work and too sweaty.

But this year? A total different story. I read an article on SparkPeople written by a woman who considered herself a "fit fatty." I don't like the word "fat," but I do like the concept of being a fit fatty. It doesn't matter what the scale says as long as I am healthy and living an active life that includes running. So that inspired me to try running (I still like to call it "wunning").

I like the endorphins, I like the alone time, I like pushing myself. And yes, I even like getting sweaty. But since running is a new sport for me, I have a couple of questions.

First, I'm running a 5k in October, so I am going to start training in August. I like running with music, but I've just been using Pandora. I definitely see that slower tempo songs mess up my rhythm, so I try to keep the music upbeat. Should I make a "running mix" and use that for training as well as for the 5k?

Second, maybe this has to do with running, and maybe it just has to do with the fact that I'm a woman approaching 40. A couple of times when I've come back from running, I can't hold my bladder. I usually have about 8 ounces of water before I run, and I've emptied my bladder before I go. But this morning when I got home, I couldn't hold it. What's up with that? How do you run longer distances, stay hydrated and NOT pee yourself?

That's all for now, but I'm sure I'll have more questions as I get into training. (By the way, I am using Janice's {@fitcheerldr} training plan.) Thanks for your input!

Photo Credit: stock.xchng (not a picture of me)

A Little Girl's Pigtails

I love Ladybug's pigtails. I love her long hair. Yes, it's a pain to brush. It's a pain to keep snarls out. But I love her hair.

I see other girls around her age (3 years) with a variety of hair cuts. Some are long, some are short, some have bangs, some don't. It makes me wonder why parents choose to keep their little girls' hair a certain way.

Long hair needs brushed. But you don't have as many battles over going to the "hair cut place."

Short hair doesn't need as much daily attention. Bangs grow out, get too long, and fall into their eyes.

Which is better? Depends on the parent and the child, I think.

Sitting down to brush Ladybug's hair is a nice ritual for us. And combing her hair after bath time is as well. I've only trimmed her hair a little in the back. The one time I did attempt to have my hair stylist trim her hair didn't go well.

If you have a little girl (or you did and now she's growing up), how do you keep her hair? Is there a sentimental reason? Or a practical one?

But you have to admit, pigtails are fun!

Ten Things I Do in My Kitchen (Besides Cook)

I realized Monday morning that I spend a lot of time in my kitchen. I love to cook, so I do spend a lot of time doing that. But here are ten more things that I do in my kitchen.


1. I wash dishes - it's inevitable. I cook, therefore, the dishes must be washed. I use the dishwasher for regular stuff, but the big stuff and the plastic stuff usually gets washed by hand.

2. I chop fruits and veggies. I try to prep a lot of our fruits and veggies so they are ready for snacks. Cut up carrot sticks, wash grapes and cherries, cut up melons.

3. I tweet and read e-mail. Now that I have a smart phone, I don't have to sit down at a computer to do that. I check e-mail and Twitter while I'm multitasking in the kitchen.

4. I tend to boo-boos. I keep the first aid supplies in a kitchen cabinet, so I administer "bug bite medcine," "boo-boo medcine," and band-aids.

5. I do laundry. The washer and dryer are in the kitchen, plus I usually fold laundry on the kitchen table.

6. I decompress, as Hubby likes to call it. Cutting fruits & veggies, washing dishes, and folding laundry help me chill.

7. I practice letters, numbers and spelling with Ladybug. I love fridge magnets (now that LB has learned to leave them on the fridge instead of carrying them all over the house!). While I doing any of the above, Ladybug and I talk and learn.

8. I organize and make lists. There is always a list on the counter or fridge. Grocery list, things to-do, etc, etc.

9. I catch up with my Hubby. I like sitting at the bar and chatting about our day.

10. I kiss my Hubby. When he leaves for work or when he comes home, the kitchen is usually the place he finds me, so I kiss him hello or good-bye.


What else do you do in your kitchen?

For more Top Ten lists, visit the wonderful Oh Amanda!

Mamavation Week #29

This was a good week!

Exercise: Cardio 6 days of 7. I'm trying to keep the variety by mixing it up with power walks, the exercise bike and Pilates. I have been challenging myself to 12,000 steps a day. That has been a good challenge. I've achieved that several days by keeping myself busy with our upcoming move. So much to do! Plus the stress of moving is keeping me on my feet. I can't sit still or I get totally overwhelmed.

Sunday - 11,467
Monday - 12,116
Tuesday - 10,557
Wednesday - 11,140
Thursday - 12,516
Friday - 12,106
Saturday - 15,534

Food Journal: I'm back on track with keeping up with my daily food journal. I've stayed within my calorie range every day. We got okra in our CSA basket this past week. Hubs loves okra, I'm okay with it. I still have a bunch to cook up, so I might have to blanch it and freeze it.

The Scale: Well, funny thing about the scale. I keep it in our bathroom, and we have a tile floor in there with 8 inch tiles. The grout lines were messing with the scale this week, giving me readings with a 10 lb variance. I tried Friday, Saturday and Sunday to get an accurate weigh in with the same results. I couldn't even get it to read the same thing two times in a row. Frustrating! Last week I was 22 lbs total since Christmas.

But I know I had a good week, so I'm not worried. I do know that I am finally under my pre-pregnancy weight of my first pregnancy. And Saturday evening I went to a function and wore a dress that I haven't worn since before Ladybug (3 years old) was born. (I tried to get a picture of me in that dress, but didn't get a good shot.) Those two things definitely overcame the frustrations of not getting an accurate weigh in this week.

I am very excited that Chiquita Banana is sponsoring this week's Mamavation blogging carnival. They look like a great company to work with (from Leah's post).

Thanks for all of your encouragement and support - I couldn't do this without you!

Faces

Ladybug (3 years old) was playing while I was exercising this morning. (She loves to be in the same room with me ALL THE TIME. Anyone else have that? Sorry, I digress.) She was staying out of the way so I let her play; I'm always afraid I'm going to step on her.

I wasn't really paying attention to what she was doing. Then she said to me, "Look, Mama! A face!" She had made a face on the ottoman. I loved it and had to take a quick picture. And of course, Ladybug had to make a funny face for the camera. Love this girl!


She used two hot dogs for eyes, a donut for the nose, and a French fry for the mouth. (Her play food, of course!)


Hosted by Cecily and Momma

Impressions

On our recent vacation, we visited the "ancestral manse," otherwise known as the home where I grew up. Mom still lives there, and I spent 17 years of my life in that house. I haven't been "home" for six years, and there was lots of time to reflect. I wrote these impressions on Wednesday, June 30th, our first full day there.

I live in suburbia now, but grew up in the country. Really. Mom has well water and a septic system, and cable TV doesn't go out that far. It was a great visit.


1. arriving, reflecting, seeing with new eyes
2. picking peas and swiss chard for dinner
3. walking
4. startling a woodchuck
5. seeing flowers I haven't seen in so many years
6. Indian paint brush
7. Queen Anne's Lace
8. Chickoree
9. Milkweed
10. trees twenty years taller, blocking the view across the valley

ah, relaxing


It really was a relaxing time. For more Top Ten lists, please visit the lovely Oh Amanda!

Mamavation Approved Smoothies

Among the Mamavation Sistahood, there is lots of talk about drinking nutritious smoothies as part of a healthy diet. I'm not one who generally does well with liquid calories (I never could stick with the SlimFast shakes). I prefer to chew! But I like smoothies when I need to boost my nutrition for the day or if I'll be going out for dinner and want a good snack before I go.

The great thing about making smoothies at home is that YOU control what goes into them. You can customize them with flavors and ingredients. It's totally up to you!

First, you can start with either a cup of water, milk, or yogurt. I prefer to use milk or yogurt to help me get an additional serving of dairy.

Next, add fruit. I typically use half a banana and one cup of frozen fruit. Using frozen fruit makes the smoothie thick without adding ice cubes. I have even made a melon smoothie with cantaloupe and watermelon.

For added nutrition, you can add up to one cup of greens, my favorite is spinach. But kale, beet greens, or even parsley would work! The taste of the greens is covered by the fruit, so don't worry about that. Also, you can add wheat germ or ground flax meal. They do add some "texture" to the smoothie, so you can start with a little to get used to it. I don't add any sweetener, sugar or honey. The fruit is generally sweet enough.

Add all these ingredients to your blender (or Magic Bullet), blend, and enjoy!

Do you make homemade smoothies? What are your favorite flavor combinations.


Photo Credit: stock.xchng

Mamavation Week #28

This is week 28 for me; week 27 was a vacation week. And I think it was exactly what I needed.

I mentioned in my last Mamavation post that I had hit a plateau, only losing .5 lbs in the month of June. I was trying not to be frustrated, but that's hard. While on vacation, I drank lots of water and was VERY active (most days 15,000+ steps thanks to the encouragement of @all_about_savin and @vidia2be). I started most days with a 1.5-2 mile walk. I allowed myself to enjoy foods that I don't usually have at home. I think it was a good formula for me for plateau-busting!

Exercise: This week, 5 days of 7 of cardio. Mostly power walks, plus I am adding three days of upper body strength training with an exercise band. With lots of time in the car driving home, I had several days of less than 10k steps. My goal for the coming week is 10-12k steps every day!

Food Journal: Now at home, I'm back to eating "the usual." Fewer processed foods, less sugar, more whole foods. Also, I took a break from food journaling for vacation and have been having a hard time getting back to it. But I know that I need to write down every bite I eat, so I am disciplining myself in that department. I'm eating lots of fruits and veggies, so that helps me stay within my allowed calories for the day.

The Scale: Down 1.5 lbs since my last weigh in before vacation! Woohoo! That brings me to a total of 22 lbs gone since Christmas!

I am so very excited for the #Mamavation Twitter party on Monday (8-10pm EST)! Can't wait to see who our next two Mamavation moms are going to be!

Have a great, healthy & active week!

More Vacation Highlights

More pictures from our recent vacation to visit with family. First, my favorite girl cheesing it up at the deer park. Family photo op. Don't ask why Ladybug is scratching her belly like that. I have no idea! My mom has amazing flowers. She's always had a green thumb. And she loves sunflowers. I love this picture, not only because of the beautiful sunflower, but also the blue sky. The sky was so clear!

Mom has a beautiful clematis in her front garden. Everyone asks about it when they come to visit. Definitely the focal point!

Grammy (my mom) and her girls. My sister with her 1 year old daughter, T. Grammy, and me and Ladybug.

I don't know if my sister knows that I took this picture. I love seeing her and T together. She's such a good mama.





Hosted by Cecily and Serious Krystyn

A Few Vacation Photos

My apologies for leaving the blog a little silent while I was on vacation. I had the best of intentions to schedule posts, but it just didn't happen. So now, we're home and trying to get back into "normal" stuff. While I try to get my brain to re-engage, here are a few highlights from our vacation.


Growing up, we called this flower "Indian paintbrush." I don't know if that is the proper name, but I haven't seen this flower since I moved away. We don't have these in South Carolina, and it brought back so many childhood memories!
I got to meet a Twitter friend who lives near my mom - Mary (@marybabysteps). She's awesome! We walked around the outlet mall then sat and talked a while. It was so great to meet her!

This is my mom (Grammy) and her two grandbabies. She was in Grammy-heaven with both her girls.

This is me and my adorable niece, T. I haven't seen her since she was a few weeks old. Now she is 14 months old, walking, babbling, and so much fun!

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