signs of spring or signs of winter...

I love spring.  The trees are budding.  The flowers are blooming.  The wheat is growing.  Everything is slowly but surely turning green, giving a bit of color to the earth again.  I love it.  However, this last weekend, there was nothing spring about spring.  In fact, it looked like we were in mid-winter.   We had a blizzard.  That's right.  A blizzard at the end of March.  It began raining on Thursday night, sleeting (a lot) on Friday morning and into the late afternoon when it began to snow.  This wasn't normal snow.  It was unlike any that I had ever seen.  It wasn't just snowflakes.  It was clumps of snow...small little snowballs falling from the sky.  Perhaps if I lived in Alaska, Colorado, or up north somewhere, I wouldn't be so surprised by this.  However, I am in Oklahoma.  The news channels encouraged people to stay at home and not venture out.  Did we listen?  Certainly not!  We actually had a commitment to be at the college, and the event was not going to be cancelled or postponed under any circumstances.  It was the Regional Speech Tournament.  The teams were already at the hotel, so the only problem was getting them to the college.  That's where my husband came in to play.  He, his dad, and his grandpa went around to the hotels and various houses throughout the community to pick up people and take them to the college in their four-wheel drive vehicles.  Our highway to get into town was actually closed, and all of the streets in town were completely full of snow.  By the end of the tournament on Saturday, it finally stopped snowing with a total accumulation of 24 inches of snow on the ground.  And just as quickly as it all came down, it began melting almost immediately.  The boys had a great time playing in it while it lasted. They played in it Saturday and Sunday and then after school on Monday.  There's still traces of snow on the ground where there were four foot drifts, but it will probably all be gone by the time they're out of school today.  If this had actually happened in December, I'm sure we'd have snow for quite some time.  I'm hoping that after that snow, winter is actually over and we're headed into spring...for real this time.

back to the daily grind...

Yesterday the boys went back to school from a nice ten day break. I really enjoyed the time that we were able to spend. We had a great time at the zoo, had a great time camping, and fun hanging out around the house. I think that our camping experience will be one that is repeated. It's amazing how we can just go a few miles away and feel like we're no where near home...and spend very little money while we're at it. Well, I say spend little money. We did spend quite a bit this time, but I don't think it will happen again. We bought a new tent the first day we went out. After the first night, we went and bought a few more things. I just about left in the middle of the night because I was so cold, so I bought a new sleeping bag that was supposed to withstand 40 degree weather. We also bought an air mattress so we didn't have to sleep on the ground. It really hurt the hubby's back. It was much warmer the second night with those things and a heater in the tent. The boys loved camping and fishing. They had a great time and it made for great memories. Being back in the swing of things, we've been having our typical morning struggles. We're going to have to change something so things will be smoother. The youngest couldn't find his shoes because the oldest threw them in their room somewhere which is a total pit. They're supposed to clean it tonight. I've already warned them that if it's not cleaned tonight that I'll come in tomorrow and get rid of some things. That's normally incentive enough for them to get it done. 

On another note, I was watching tv on Sunday afternoon and was totally sold by an infomercial. This happens often, but I can normally resist the temptation of buying. So, what did I buy? I bought the 10 minute trainer. It's supposed to be a pretty good system. I've already been exercising, so it should be a supplement to that. I'm glad that I'm finally feeling motivated to do something. I really want to get this weight off and get toned. I can definitely tell a difference in how I feel and I actually want to exercise now. It feels good after doing it. I want to see myself in the mirror and like what I see. I was thinking about writing a blog about my experience with the 10 minute trainer program. I've really wanted to see something like that. You know, those real people with real results. I'm ready for it to come in so I can see it work for myself. They say you can lose a pant size in 10 days. We'll see...

the end of break...

It's the end of spring break which is a bittersweet time. I don't feel near as emotional now that I'm not working in a full-time job. I used to get to the point of tears having to go back to work and leaving my kids. Now, the boys will be getting back into a schedule which is good for all of us. I've really enjoyed the last week with them. We really had a great time camping Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. It was a first time for us as a family...the first of many times I'm sure. The boys were supposed to get their room cleaned by the end of break, but they got a bit distracted by the Wii and their new Batman game that my hubby got them when we went to the city. I'm sure I'll be working on that throughout the week. Tonight we went to a bluegrass concert at the church. It was great to see my oldest son so excited about music. He had a huge smile as soon as they started playing. Of course, he wanted to leave within twenty minutes, but he temporarily enjoyed it. He definitely enjoyed the upbeat ones more. It was some great music. It intrigued me to look into going to a bluegrass festival. We'll see.

spring break...

This week is spring break and the boys have been so excited.  They actually have a total of ten days off.  They got the Friday before spring break off because of the parent-teacher conferences in the evenings that week.  Friday they were off the walls with hyperactivity!  We finally had a talk about calming down a bit so that we could have an enjoyable week.

In my last post, I talked about the box tops  competition.  The second graders won, so my son was so excited.  It was super cold the day that they got to have their popsicle party, though, so it was a little bittersweet.

We went to the zoo with one of my sisters and her family yesterday.  The kids all had a lot of fun.  There is an animatronic dinosaur exhibit there that just opened, so they got to see that, too.  My five year old is afraid of dinosaurs so he immediately began crying before seeing anything.  The dinosaurs were supposed to be life-sized, but they definitely were not completely realistic.  They had sounds and they moved, but it was all a little too much for him.  We finally got him to calm down and take a look at everything.  We were all extremely tired by the end of the day, but it was great to spend so much time with family.

Today we are going camping.  We went to Wal-Mart this afternoon to buy a new tent.  The boys are planning on staying in the trailer with their grandparents but we won't all fit in there, so we got a tent.  We went to the pond to set it up just a bit ago.  The boys were really proud of themselves after it was all set up since it was the first time to do that.  They're very excited to go camping and fishing.  I'm glad that they're actually interested in something outside now and not completely obsessed with staying inside and playing video games.  In fact, I think that I'm the one that may have the problem.  I'm so dependent upon my computer and electronics.  I think I may have a problem.

follow-up

In my last blog, I talked about giving up procrastination for lent.  I'm not sure how well I've done.  It's much harder than I had anticipated.  A lot of things happen in daily life that make it difficult.  Of course, it's all about powering through, I guess.  One thing that I haven't fallen on is the workout that I've started.  I'm in the fourth week of exercising, and it seems to be going well.  I haven't lost massive amounts of weight, but I'm starting to tone up.  My brother-in-law who gave me the workout said that it often takes him 3 weeks before he sees a difference.  I'm hoping to see changes soon.  I can lift more than I could when I initially started, and I feel so much better after I go.  It's the getting there that's the hard part.  I've had to force myself to go the past couple of days.  I really haven't felt like it because of sickness coming on, but I went anyway.  We're doing well in our challenge, too.  Our team has exercised the most minutes, and we've won one of the team challenges.  It's fun to be a part of the team.  Now, we're in it to win it, so we're trying to bump up the points.

My business is going well, but I haven't done as much as I should be.  I need to be calling more people daily.  I don't know why it's so difficult for me to do it.  I feel stupid for waiting so long once I finally do call someone.  I've got to do it.  It's just a matter of picking up the phone.

This morning was eventful.  My second grader has a box top challenge at school to see who can bring the most box tops between the second and third grades.  His class was just 60 away yesterday, and the challenge ended today.  Last night we called his grandmas to gather box tops and had to get up early enough to go by and get them before school.  We are not morning people, and the youngest son made it extremely difficult this morning.  He had more than just an attitude.  It was really frustrating.  We finally got out the door and picked up the box tops.  He ended up bringing 54 box tops.  I thought that was pretty good for just one person.  If a few other people brought some, they might have done it.  I'm anxious to find out.  It's so funny.  They're so excited over a popsicle party.  It's great that they're so excited over little things.

Speaking of being excited over little things...the hubby took the boys fishing this weekend.  They had such a great time.  It's the first time that my five year old has really done any fishing by himself.  He caught the biggest fish and was so proud of himself.  He comes home and says, "Well, congratulations to me because I caught the biggest fish."  I thought it was so funny.  He was very cute about it.  This was the first time that the older one did everything for himself.  He put the worm on the hook and took the fish off the hook when he caught them.  We're planning to go camping over spring break at the pond.  It seems more like a daddy and boys time.  Or maybe, I just don't want to camp out with the possibility of snakes being around.  Maybe I can go out for a little while and come home to sleep.  The pond is just a few miles away from the house.  The boys are excited about it, so it should be fun.

i'm giving up procrastination for lent

That's right.  I'm giving up procrastination for lent.  Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of lent, and I've decided to give up procrastination...today...not tomorrow...today.  :)

I never practiced lent growing up in the Baptist church.  In fact, I didn't know what lent was until I went to college.  I participated in the Wesley House, and that's when I learned about it.  Marrying my husband, we decided to go to the Methodist church, which is the church where he grew up.  Within the last few years, we've become a lot more active.  It feels good to be active in a church again.  Back to lent, when I was in college, a lot of my friends and I gave up things like chocolate...usually unsuccessfully.  This is supposed to be a time of repentance...a time to make things good with God...a time to look to Him in struggles.  As trivial as chocolate may sound, it's a big thing to give it up completely for 40 days.  I heard something last year that I really liked, though.  Someone said instead of giving up chocolate or a food, which so many people do, it's a good thought to give up a behavior that needs to be fixed.  For me, that behavior is procrastination.  I've been thinking a lot about it today, and I realized that if I hadn't procrastinated in a lot of situations, I would have accomplished a lot more.  Making phone calls in my business, asking for help with the pageant, cleaning the house at the last minute before company comes over...the list could go on and on.

So, it's my goal to stop procrastination.  By this, I have to be proactive and act on something when I think of it.  Now, I won't be able to immediately act on things sometimes because of where I am or what I'm doing, but I'm not going to continue to put things off time and time again.  I'm going to do it!  Get things done!  This time, it's more than being accountable to myself.  I have to be accountable to God...which is really who I'm accountable all the time.  After 40 days of no procrastination, things should change in my life, and I'm thinking for the better.

I want to document this and the things that I no longer wait to do but take action and do.  I'll do the best that I can on that.

I've got lots of things to do!

catching up...

I always say that I'm going to be good about writing...that I want to record things so that I can remember them, and then I get busy and a month goes by and I haven't written anything.  I guess this is my time to get caught up with the last month.

The pageant is over.  Praise the Lord!  I survived it, and I won't do it again.  I'm not organized enough to do that kind of thing.  I love pageants, and I love helping with pageants, but as for running the entire pageant...it's not for me.  Thankfully, one of my good friends (who is very together and on top of things) is going to take over the pageant for next year.  My heart just isn't in it.  Although it's a decent paycheck, it's not worth it for all the stress.  I couldn't wait for it to be over.  I had a horrible problem with judges backing out at the last minute the week of the pageant, but we got it all taken care of and it's over.  A great girl won, although any of them would have been great to work with going to the state pageant.  I just have to help get her ready for the state pageant now...and do massive amounts of paperwork.  It will all be over in June, and I don't have to do it again!

Now, I'm trying really hard to focus on my business.  I know that I have to or I'm going to have to go back to get a traditional job, and I really don't want to have to do that.  I think because I'm still bringing in some money, my husband has been okay with me staying home.  At least he hasn't said anything about it, but if I don't have a paycheck coming in, he may verbalize what he's thinking.  I've got to get it done.  I'm trying to stay on top of things.  I wish so much that I wasn't a procrastinator.  I don't know why I do that to myself.  It should be easy just to get over it, right?  I wish!  I've got lots of calls to make this week if I want to get the promotion that I need.  I can do it!!

The last couple of weeks have been a little crazy.  I started a workout, and it's kicking my butt!  I'm on a team challenge through the local gym, and I feel like I'm the dead weight.  I hadn't worked out the first week because I was totally overwhelmed by going in there.  There's so much equipment, I didn't know where to start.  I finally took the initiative and asked someone to help me.  I'm now on a workout schedule, lifting weights with 20 minutes of cardio on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and working in an hour of cardio on Tuesday and Thursday.  I think I'll start swimming on the weekends.  Every muscle in my body hurt so bad last week, but I worked out all five days.  Hopefully, it won't hurt when I go today and the hard part will be over.  I keep trying to talk my hubby into joining me, but he hasn't been convinced yet.  I really wish he would.  It might be fun to work out together.  I'm ready to see the results of the workouts!  Hopefully, it won't take too long.  I know that muscle weighs more than fat, so I may gain at first, but muscle helps burn fat, so I should lose it more quickly by doing this.  We'll see!  I'm ready to see the skinny me again!!

There's more that's happened over the past month, but I'll write them another time.  I've got many things to do today that I need to get ready for.  A workout, a Bible study, some phone calls, and a class for my biz tonight.  Lots to do!  Lots to do!