Beating the Blahs {Part 2}

{Part 1} Valentine's Crafts
{Part 2} Around the House

The thing about beating the blahs is the "blahs" actually fight back. I have no real desire to attack house projects. But I'm determined to make a list anyway to hopefully motivate me. It really helped with {Part 1}. I actually have a craving for a craft every day now! So here's to hoping...

1. Build shelves in the storage room for DVDs. Oh yay, Derek already did that! He's the best. (I'll share details in a later post).

2. Add Kempton to the walls of the boys' room. Jack's name is on the wall so I'm planning on taking out the "A" and the "C" and using the "J" for Jack and the "K" for Kempton and making mini collages around them. We'll see how that goes.

3. Paint the little mirror black and hang it.

4. Line the fridge shelves

Source: iowagirleats.com via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

5. Purchase tiles from the Habitat ReStore for behind the kitchen sink. Hang.

Only 5, you say? Yes.

I told you, the blahs are trying to beat me down, so I'm taking it slow.

And I can't think of anything else at the moment that doesn't involve more money than we've got. Even these are pushing it.

I am giving myself a deadline as much as I don't want to bc otherwise this stuff will probably never get done. Expect completed updates by Valentine's Day at which time I will post the next "Beating the Blahs" post.

{Part 3} Spring Cleaning (Look for this post in February!)
{Part 4} All Things Homemade (Look for this post in March!)

How are you "beating the blahs" of winter?

2 Keys to Losing Weight.

Source: etsy.com via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

If you know me, you know I'm on a journey toward a healthier life. A big part of that right now is losing weight.

By the grace of God, I have had consistent victory over the sin of emotional overeating for 2.5 months! And in that time I've lost 17-18 pounds!

Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow!

The Kempton weight and the Jack weight are gone. Now for the long haul... losing the Marie weight. I'm halfway there! 17lbs to go.

Why is this time different? First and foremost, God started it. I've struggled with eating my whole life. Finally, through a series of little events (or maybe better... God interventions), I truly repented and am no longer a slave to food!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

My sister-in-law said it wonderfully in her post entitled THE Key Ingredient to Getting in Shape.

The #1 key to losing weight/getting fit/becoming healthy is...

A right relationship with the One True God. 

Shake your head if you want, but it is fact. I've lost weight numerous times in my life, but every time I found myself obsessing even more about food! This time... this time I don't obsess over what my next meal will contain. I don't run to food the moment I'm discouraged or angry or tired or happy! Sure I struggle and often want to do those things, but I've found victory in Jesus! The sinful desires are all but gone and I'm finding contentment... fullness in Him alone.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

While true repentance seemed to happen all at once, change is always a process! Daily I am in the Word and in prayer. Daily I am running hard after Him. That is the only way.

How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103

Looking for key #2? My sister-in-law talks about this all the time, and since I came to my senses by the grace of God, I finally started listening!

The #2 key to losing weight/getting fit is...

Lift Heavy Weights.

Source: fit-and-healthy-for-tomorrow.tumblr.com via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

There are a number of other "keys" to weight loss success but following the most important key of getting right with the Lord, this has had the most impact for me.

You may recall I trained for and ran a half-marathon before getting pregnant with Kempton. During that 5 months of training I lost a total of... wait for it...

THREE pounds.

The problem? Well, I wasn't watching my calories for one. But mostly, I never lifted weights! I basically did nothing but run.

Now I haven't even started training for my next half yet (scheduled for June!), and I'm already dropping the pounds. With the help of my SIL, eating right, and lifting weights, I finally have a metabolism that works with me rather than against me!

Oh, and I'm already running at a faster pace. Woot! Thank you, muscle!

No more excuses. Get to it.

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

A Thankful Heart

Source: superswoon.com via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

This is how I will live the width of my life... with thanksgiving.

• Hot tea
• Baby girl prayers
• Warm glow of kitchen lamp
• Clementines
• Curious baby blues

• The smell of homemade cinnamon bread
• Warm sheets
• Chunky toddler legs
• Girly conversations
• Sibling love

Linked up HERE.

Family Verse 2013

In 2012, this was our family verse...

Hopefully in the near future I (or Derek or both) will be sharing the "infinitely more" God has been doing in our lives that I was looking forward to seeing back when I wrote this post. Waiting on God's timing for that post because it's gonna be a big one!

Yesterday I came across this verse on Pinterest of all places...

Source: moretobe.com via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

It is just so exactly what we needed after some ideas of stepping out in faith have come up lately. We've deemed it our family verse for this year.

It's definitely no accident that the verse immediately following our family verse is this...

Source: typographicverses.com via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

How awesome is it that right after we're commanded to give cheerfully, God says He's got us covered. Love when He does that!

Do you have a family verse? Or a "life verse"? I'd love to hear about it!

Must-Do Pins

Just have to share a couple of pins I've tried that totally worked! I didn't take any of my own pics so I'll just share the pins and vouch for them.

First...

Source: thekitchn.com via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

My Story:
Just before leaving for PA, I used a bunch of green onions and dropped the white roots into a little cup with water and left it by the sink. I don't have a good place in my house for plants to get sun so it got zero sun. I seriously cut them all the way down to the white and when we got back a couple weeks later, I had green onions spilling onto my counter!

What I Learned:
Something a gardener should probably think to do... remember to refill the water. And I feel confident that mine would look quite a bit healthier if they had a little sun. But they have served (and continue to serve!) me well.

Next up...

Source: loveveggiesandyoga.com via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

My Story:
Just did this yesterday and was blown away at how easy it was! Seriously like 3-5 minutes process. Grab peanuts, toss them in a food processor, and hold down the button. Watch peanuts turn to peanut butter in minutes! And you can add any kind of flavoring you want!

What I Learned:
I don't know about pricing. I mean, peanuts can be pricey. And don't make the same stupid mistake I did and just buy the cheapest. I usually check labels, but I honestly didn't think peanuts would have high fructose corn syrup and xanthum gum in them?!? Seriously, I just thought they were peanuts. You live, you learn.

A little encouragement... according to fooducate.com, the Kroger brand honey and dry roasted peanuts (that I used for this) get a B- while Jif creamy peanut butter (what WIC lets us get) gets a C and is labeled "One of the worst products in its category."

I'm not really encouraged by that at all.

Moral of the stories...
Try these pins and learn from my mistakes! You will not regret it! :)