Shutting it down.

I'm not going to be all dramatic, but the title speaks for itself. At the end of the week, this blog will be no more.

Just out of respect for those that have and are reading, just didn't want to disappear and not say anything and that be that.

There are multiple reasons for this. Too many to get into, ha! But if you'd like to keep in touch, you can jot down my email that is on the right hand side of my blog.

For those of you who have read my blog and are currently reading my blog and click over to keep up with little ole' me, thank you for that and I love you for it.

This blog was a special and unique part of my life and the friendships I made through this little space of the internet will be a huge part of what I take away from this.

I hope that each of you could take something away from this blog, my words, and my heart and pray that it always came across in the way I intended.

May God bless you ALL abundantly...

XOXOXOXO

Biggest Loser Blogger Challenge: Week 1

Out of all the posts I have written, this is one of the ones I’m most excited and proud of.

It’s a new year. The slate is clean. With the new year it seems to make the impossible seem possible with the 365 days ahead of you.

One of the things I’ve always struggled with is body image. Not in a huge way but enough to where I didn’t/don’t feel comfortable in my own skin.

When January 1^st rolled around I was already getting myself mentally prepared to make a change. So that’s when I was excited to see that my friend Becky was doing the Biggest Loser Blogger  Challenge (click here) January-March. It’s just the motivation I needed.

I wanted to post a motivation picture.
This was taken within the last year.
Please realize that this is a horrible picture of me and focus on the niece, ha!! The beach = no makeup for me. But this was the best picture that depicts where I am at right now. Can't believe I'm doing this. My Mom took this and I remember at the time when we went scrolling through the camera to look at pictures I was mortified, but was never at the place mentally to make a difference.


 

Time to make a change.

My current weight I’ll share is 130. Nothing drastic....but there is obesity on my dad's side of the family and with my short height of 5’2” weight gain is noticeable and have a few things recently I cannot fit into that I’m determined I will again and just don't want to let myself go there. Whether you just want to take your body back and feel more comfortable or a drastic weight change, regardless it's your journey.

So in sharing that… here’s what I’ll be doing this week for food throughout the week and exercise and wanted to track it here each Monday and document my progress... As it's a part of the challenge. I have about 10-15 pounds I would like to lose. I may or may not meet my weight loss goal by finish, but it will be a heck of a start.

FOOD:

For Breakfast- Eggs with avacado and breakfast bars.

For lunch – Tuna with wheat thins and salad

Dinner – Healthy sandwiches, apples w/ peanut butter

Snacks- Bananas, oranges, nuts, fruits, rice cakes, avocado, bell peppers/cucumbers with ranch

 

Of course all this is subject to change and not the same thing everyday, but I'll be switching it up each day. Might add/subtract but the goal is for it to ALL be healthy. If you have any other good quick meals for a person on the go or want to share healthy snack options, please share.

  I wanted to add that with my schedule I work full time and go to school three nights a week. So very easy to eat on-the-go and pick up that hamburger or French fries. But that’s all going to change. Also, my goal is to also not eat so late, but to eat on my way to school or while I’m at school. Got in such a bad habit of eating when I got home. Another goal is to stop eating when I’m satisfied vs. still eating while I’m full. And I snack on complete junk, enough said. Also, the fact I have a 8-5 desk job and sit all day and sit all night at school is not working in my favor... just sayin!
 

Also, I’ve quit soda and I'm drinking water. Haven’t had it since December 31^st. I’ve cut out sweets and pasta/carbs as well. And of course I’ll treat myself on the weekends.

 

 

EXERCISE:

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I will be doing the c25k workout program. You can download the app. on your Iphone. I actually started this before and so last week I started at week 3 because I already had a foundation. Of course these days could vary throughout the week, but I’ll always put in 3 days of this. This morning I started at week 4, day 1. Also, every Saturday I will be doing Zumba class.

 

I feel this is a good start though.

 

Again, any helpful tips will be appreciated.
 

If you’re wanting to make a change like me, please go by Becky’s blog and join us.

 

I’m so excited about this and what a great way to keep me accountable.

So here's to my journey to taking my body back, eating healthier, and feeling better in my skin.

Not looking to win this thing, but just a start to being healthier.

 

Wish me luck!!

New Year...New Me.

Happy New Year…..

We are three days into the New Year. I’ve been kind of going over in my head what I want this blog to mean to me in 2013 and the roll I want it to play.

I really want to be more intentional about blogging this year. I have a deep urging that it’s important for me this year. I feel deep down that this year isn’t going to be just another ordinary year. I truly and honestly believe it’s going to be “MY” year.

It will be the year I take back my body. Starting January 1, 2013, I started the c25k running program. I started it once before but don’t think I was where I needed to be at mentally to follow through with it. I’m logging my workouts on instagram for accountability. Also, starting January 1, 2013, I stopped drinking soda. It’s only 3 days without soda, so ask me in about a month how my withdrawal is going, ha. And again, this is something else I’ve also tried but could never do it. I’ve realized that you have to “want”  it in order to follow through with anything. I need to take care of the body and temple God has given me and it starts with watching the food I eat and what I’m putting into my body and exercise. I really feel like I have the mentality, determination, and the faith in myself that I can actually do it this time.  

I am currently on break from school right now and will be starting back next week to finish up my last semester. It’s been a long journey and court reporting school has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. But I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and praise God he’s been faithful to see me through to the END. For the first time in a long time I'm excited for what the future holds and the doors and opportunities that will be opened up to me and the people I’ll meet once I get out into the career field and out from behind a 8-5 desk job that I needed to leave like yesterday, but with that said, praise God I have a job.

Spiritually, I pray that 2013 will be the year I draw closer to God like never before. I want to seek him first in all that I do. I know I can’t do any of this without him and that starts with staying in his word and grounded in him. I am his child and I want to spend 2013 going deeper into discovering the depths of his love for me so that I, in return, can go and love others and love well and be the best daughter, sister, friend, etc.... but most of all to be the best Lauren I can be. There is so much work yet to be done in me. God knows my struggles. I don't think he's ever done perfecting us.

I began to think about what my word for 2013 could be that I can hold on to, reflect on, and instantly the word “Acceptance” came to my mind.

 

Accepting God’s love for me, accepting how God created me to be, accepting myself, accepting God’s will for my life and that his ways are not always my ways. Oh that list could go on and on.

This is a good start.

A new year, a new me.

And hopefully I can spend 2013 blogging all about it :)

Forgetting the past....Looking ahead.

 

It's the last day of 2012.

 

It was the best of times and the worst of times. To be honest, I won't be sad to see this year go. 2012 started off with my dad passing away on February 9th from terminal brain cancer. Pretty safe to say we were ready for a new year in Feburary. Let me tell you though, January 2012 will be a month I will never ever forget. It was filled with some of the sweetest and most tender-hearted moments I will never forget in my life and will safely be tucked away in my heart forever. We knew our dad would only have a few short weeks left with us and God blessed those weeks like we never could have imagined. There was nothing left unsaid, not an "I love you", hug and kiss not given. That time, it belongs in a treasure box. It created a bond in our family that can never be broken. It's funny how I can take one of the hardest months and look back on it so fondly. That's only by the grace of God. He is so so gracious.

 

The rest of the year was pretty much all of us trying to navigate through our new normal and finding our footing, and moving on without him and going through all the "first" throughout the year without him.

 

But 2013.. It's going to be different. I really believe that.

 

I think I found a scripture and motto that I'm going to take with me into the new year.

 

 

It's so fitting.

 

I'm believing that 2013 will be MY year. I have big dreams and desires that I'm praying to fruition. I pray that I will continue to grow into a better version of myself. There's always room for growth, always areas of improvement that can be worked on. I pray that I'll find peace and contentment like I've never known, and that I'll enjoy and love being me, and enjoy the person that God has created me to be. I pray that I'll continue to love people and love well, and be open to what God wants to teach me in 2013, oh boy could the list go on and on.....

 

I pray all this for you, too.

Whether your year was filled with happy moments or sad moments...There's something to be said about a new year, new beginnings, a fresh start and to wipe the slate clean. So here's to forgetting the past and looking forward to what's ahead.

With all that said, I end this year knowing I am so so blessed!! And hope you can take the last day of this year and count your blessings, too!!! :)

Have a wonderful and safe New Year. See you in 2013!



2012 Christmas Card.

 

Today I am linking up with Faith's annual Christmas Card Carousel.

 

 

One of my FAVORITE things about Christmas is giving and receiving Christmas cards! It's a thrill to go to the mailbox each day :)

 

My sis and I did a sister Christmas card this year. We just LOVE the way it turned out.

 

Here are my cards for:
2009
2010
2011
 

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas season.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Make sure you go by Faith's blog and share your card and check out the others.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!



Salt and Light.

 

 

I was messing around on FB....Looking at the status updates, the pictures, yadda yadda.....

 

And I stumbled upon an interesting conversation thread on my newsfeed.

 

It was a video a guy I went to high school with had posted on evolution. It had over a hundred comments and so I was intrigued as to what people were saying. Didn't watch the video but started reading through the comments.

 

I'm not here to blog about evolution, so bear with me.

 

 

Y'all, and what I read written by this guy I went to high school with totally grieved my heart. There was absolutely no judgment on my part, but simply....my heart just hearts for him, especially as we go into this Christmas season and holiday which celebrates the birth of Jesus. The gift which was the ultimate gift we could ever receive.

 

Matthew 5:13-16

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

 

And I can only imagine how much that grieved God.

 

I don't know the circumstances of his life that caused him to turn his back on God and change his beliefs in everything he has ever known...but I know not for one second has God turned his back on him.

 

It got me to thinking... am I doing my part?

 

Am I being the salt and the light here on this earth? To each and every person that I come in contact with, day in and day out... Do they see me not just talking the talk, but walking the walk?

 

To the unbelievers, do they look at me and see me and want what I have .....The hope, peace, comfort, and relationship that comes with knowing Jesus Christ.

 

Or to the person who may have turned their back on God, do they see me, not just by words but also by actions, and realize that all of that is still there for them, God hasn't left them or forsaken them, but they have gone so far astray that they don't know how to get back to that place and  the enemy has them so deceived by the lies of this world.

 

This just was a smack in the face reminder..

 

Be the salt and be the light.

 



Weekend this and that!

 

Happy Monday to you friends!!

 

Why must the weekends going by so dang fast?!?!?! It was a pretty great weekend, if I do say so myself.

 

Woke up Saturday and it was December 1st, YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!! The countdown has begun!

 

 

No better time to start on the Christmas tree!

 

 

Got the tree up and the lights working. Cleaned up and there was an event going on nearby to promote pet adoption and Phil Phillips from American Idol was going to be there, so we decided to go check that out.

 

 

Is there anything cuter than this?? (You could technically be talking about Phil Phillps and the dogs...

Bwahaha!!!)

 

 

My sister with one of the pups!

 

 

Went to Mellow Mushroom (BEST PIZZA EVER!!!!) to eat and went back home to  get the rest of the Christmas tree done.

 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! :)

 

 

How cute are these light up gifts bought from Kirkland's to go under the tree?

 

 

Christmas movies (Love me some ELF) by the Christmas tree lights. Doesn't get cozier than that!!

 

 

Sunday our church was decorated so beautifully for Christmas!

 

 

Went and ate lunch at Chipotle and of course no Sunday is complete without a trip to Target. Yes and Amen!!!!!

 

 

My sis and I had some picture fun!! :)

 

 

I love love love this one by the tree and love her!!! :)

 

 

How was YOUR weekend?????

 

I just love this time of year. Hope you are trying to soak it all up as much as I am!!  :)