Fall Challenge Update: 3 Weeks To Go!

I know that I haven't posted many updates about my 12 Week Flavilicious challenge and with good reason.  I haven't been actively participating.  I got sick right around Thanksgiving and once I was down it was so easy to make excuses.  Before you know it weeks have went by and it hit me that we are already halfway through the challenge!

I realized that my imperfect progress was actually no progress at all.  This is the third Flavilicous challenge that I have started.  The last two challenges I never finished the workouts or even sent in my after photos.  I simply disappeared but the thought of not finishing either of those challenges kept nagging at me.

When I signed up this time I made myself a promise.  No matter what I was going to finish this challenge.  Even if I had to send in an after picture that is worse than my before picture I am going to finish this challenge.  At the end of the challenge they post all the before/after pics on their website and the readers vote for the winner.  I do not want to be the one girl on that list that actually gained during the challenge so I got serious.



I took my measurements again just to see where I was at and surprisingly I've already lost 4 inches all over my body!  I really cannot tell a difference to be honest with you.  My weight is still staying the same but that's ok.  I'm tired of being a slave to the scale and decided for the rest of the challenge I am focusing more on my gains.

In the challenge we are starting to go heavier weight with fewer reps so I found an amazing app that has been awesome for tracking my workouts.  Just in the few weeks I've used it I have already been increasing my weights more than I ever have on a program.  I love it!!  That's a larger number I don't mind celebrating. ;)   I've also started posting my workouts to MyFitnessPal so I can keep track there too and also for motivation.  I have several friends on there that motivate me when they post their workouts so I hope I am doing the same for them.

There have been days that I definitely do not feel motivated and think of every excuse in the book NOT to work out.  So I go in my kitchen, grab my shaker bottle, and put in a scoop of this right here...



The sad thing is that I only have a few scoops left but my MIL is an Advocare distributor and got me a 24 Day Challenge for Christmas!  The whole company is doing one together in January called ALL IN and she got me one so we can do it together.  I'm so excited!!  I want to see how Advocare works out before I order any more Shredz but I have a feeling that this will be back in my life soon enough.  It's amazing.

I'm taking the rest of this challenge day by day especially during the holiday season.  Getting in all the workouts has been rough this time of year and my eating has been insane but I am forgiving myself and moving on.

 I am waiting to show my before pics until the challenge in complete that way I can give you guys the same side-by-side I'll be submitting AND I can give you the link so you can vote for me!

Even if I don't win I am creating a healthy habit that I know is not going to end when this challenge does.  I cannot wait to see what 2016 has in store for me! :)
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Christmas Season Catch Up

Busy! Busy! Busy!  Anyone else feel me??

Merry Christmas EVE!!!  I thought I would get everyone caught up with all the festivities that have happened so far this holiday season.

Christmas Women's Banquet


I honestly didn't think I was going to be able to go this year because of our current finances but one of my besties ended up having an extra ticket and invited me at the last minute.  I have never been before but you better believe this is going to be a new Christmas tradition with me. :)

Different women "host" a table and decorate it however they want.  They also have little goodies for each gal at the table.  This was ours #67 :)


Of course the picture doesn't do it justice. It was gorgeous!! I got a beautiful ornament, a cute little stocking, and got to meet three lovely women who have now became apart of my growing church family.



There's me and my bestie. I love this girl so much and am so thankful that I was her first choice.  The dinner was excellent and the speaker was amazing.  I teared up several times and left knowing that I am not alone in my struggles.  I have wonderful friends, family, and most importantly a God that loves me just as I am and I will make it through this season.

KATS Christmas Musical


KATS is our church's children's choir and every year they put on a Christmas program.  Being a 2nd grade teacher (and there being one little girl my youngest has the biggest crush on) I had to be there and I am so glad I was.


This year was extra special because the entire program was written by two of the KATS directors.  It was a Christmas spin-off of the Wizard of Oz and it was adorable!

DJ's Christmas Party


In our school district 4th grade is the last grade in elementary school.  DJ is in 4th grade, and my youngest, thus making this our last elementary school Christmas party.  *sniffle*


To say I was a little emotional is an understatement but I put on a happy face and enjoyed watching my little man and his classmates enjoy their day.  


It was so much fun for the kids and I surprised DJ by having is grandmother come with me.  You should've seen the look on his face.  The party was crazy but mainly because you have 21 kids that are full of candy and donuts on the last day of school before winter break.  ;)

Family Time


When school is in its so hard for the boys to spend time with family.  Anyone who has to share custody can feel me on this.  This past Sunday after church I dropped the boys off at their Nana's house and they got to spend a few days with her, their great-aunt, and their cousins.


I love that they got that much-needed family time and it gave me a chance to go get their last minute Christmas gifts. :)  

Now its time to get ready to start my Christmas festivities.  The next two days are always crazy.  I have several places to be and my in-laws are coming in tomorrow and the house is a disaster.  Mentally I'm trying not to stress especially since I am running out of time to get everything done.  

My goal the next two days is to be in the moment.  Christmas goes by way too fast as it is and I do not want to lose sight of what really matters: the birth of my Lord, Jesus Christ. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!!

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The Magic of Christmas

Yesterday our church started a new series called The Magic of Christmas.  The whole church is decked out in twinkling lights and the excitement in the air is electric and almost tangible.  

Christmas is here.



Yesterdays message was What Is It About Christmas? which has been on my mind ever since.  I have Christmas music on in the car and this morning on my way to take the boys to school I heard Silent Night by Stevie Nicks.  It is by far my favorite version of Silent Night and right in the middle of the school parking lot tears start streaming down my face.  I apologies to my 10 year old son if I embarrassed you but when the vapors hit you what can you do? ;)

That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.



It truly is magical how a baby who was born in a manger could save the world...could save me.  I think about my life and the direction I was heading before I gave my life to Jesus.  Those thoughts alone bring fresh tears to my eyes...

I am so thankful that He never gave up on me not even for a second.  I am thankful that God became man and came to this earth to live the life that He did, to die the death that He did, and to rise again all just to save me.  Wow.

This Christmas my little family has decided to do things differently.  This year we are putting Jesus at the top of our Christmas list.  After all it is His birthday, right?  This year we are going to give more than we are going to receive.  We are going to love more and be more in the moment than we ever have been and cherish every second we have with our family and friends.  And through it all we are going to remember the One that is truly the reason for the season.
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Simply Wonderful


I LOVE December!!  The holidays are in full swing and most people don't know this but when Louie and me first got engaged our original wedding date was December 8, 2013.  We couldn't wait that long which is why we got married in April instead. ;)  

I'm also super excited that I got to stamp on Thanksgiving!  I have always loved doing challenges and decided to do a simple 6x6 scrapbook page using a Viva la Verve sketch and doing the Thanksgiving Ways To Use It challenge on SCS.


I still had my Holiday Treasures paper out from my last creation so I decided to roll with it and make a Christmas-themed mini scrapbook page.  I know this doesn't look like a scrapbook page but I made the sentiment to where it can move so you can put a picture behind it.

I found this digital stamp that I got from Verve Stamps a LONG time ago.  I looked through all the sets they have on the site now and could not find it but the closest set I could find was Christmas in the Air.  I also used a flourish from the Filigree Fantasy set which sadly has been retired.  It's crazy how much of my stamping stuff is retired so don't be surprised if you see a lot on here that is not around anymore.  I apologize in advance. ;)


I really wanted to keep this layout simple and this sketch was perfect for it!  Almost everything on this layout is leftovers from other creations.  I'm telling you this challenge was made for poor crafters like myself. LOL

Thanksgiving was very low key at my house this year.  We went to my cousins at noon, saw a lot of my dads side of the family, got stuffed, and then I came home and spent all afternoon working on this  layout and starting to get my very sad stamping area more together.

My ex always gets the boys on Thanksgiving which is very bittersweet for me.  It was the first holiday I didn't spend with my boys after the separation and Thanksgiving 2010 was by far the loneliest day of my life.  I still get a pain in my heart when I think about it but I love that they get to spend time with their dads family too. That's one thing my boys get is a LOT of love.

Stamps: Verve Digital Stamp (2009); Filigree Fantasy (Retired: Verve Stamps)
Paper: Select White (Papertrey Ink), Holiday Treasures (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red (Retired), Old Olive (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Swarovski Crystals, Oval Nestabilites, Heart Border Punch, Dark Chocolate Swiss Dot Satin Ribbon (Papertrey Ink), Sponge Dauber


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