if you really knew me #3 [renamed 'get to know me']

if you really knew me... I'm not so sure I like that title anymore...  

how about - - - 'get to know me'

yep, much better!

: I hate the heat... I'd take snow over 90 degree weather any day of the week...

: I love coffee mugs but I am not a fan coffee... yuck!

: I can be somewhat of a crazy driver... I miss driving my 5 speed eclipse on long, curvy, country back roads... radio up loud, windows down, no speed limit :)

: the folded over chips are my fav - I will look in the bag so I can strategically plan my grab - I gotta get as many folded over chips as possible!!!  {I would never steal folded over chips off my kids' plates... that's just mean!}

: I only pick up pennies that are heads down

: Despicable Me - my secret movie obsession

: I looooove me some bubble wrap ;)  awesome stress reliever

: I collect pressed souvenir pennies

: I know every word to The Little Rascals - 

Dear Darla - I hate your stinkin' guts. You make me vomit. You are scum between my toes.  Love, Alfalfa

 

: I always separate the groceries in the shopping cart - cold/frozen stuff on the right - non-cold on the left and I always request the cold stuff be bagged together

: my parents bought me a guitar for Christmas 2004 - I played for about a month - way too freaking hard - doesn't help I have the words shortest, chubbiest fingers ;)

: I have my heart set on running the Bird-in-Hand half marathon in September (prayers my knee/itband let me) - I'd like to 'win' the coveted Road Apple award!!!

 happy hump day :) :) :)

g-cubed update :)

It's been a little while since I last updated on the kiddos... so here ya go!!!

Gage David: no more pacicifers - WAHOOOOOOO!!!  We've made it a week without them and surprisingly, the transition was pretty smooth :)  the 'paci fairy' came Saturday night and gathered up all his pacis - and gave him a couple bucks so he could buy a new book!!! Gage is just too darn cute but he sure is a Mister Whiney pants and he's getting really really good at saying 'NO' - which I am sure he gets from his brother and sister.  He still loves reading, playing hockey with Gavin, watching Caillou and playing Hungry Hungry Hippos - he really is the 'hippo mater' :)  Oh - how could I forget - the kid is obsessed with the color green.  wants green everything - shoes, clothes, toys, food, paper, crayons, toothpaste... you name it, if it comes in green, he will take it ;)

Gabby Louise: my silly girl had her first dentist appointment and she did AWESOME!!!  I was sooooooo nervous about going - was fearful she wouldn't even open her mouth - but she totally surprised me and did such a great job!!!  She also got a fancy new haircut last weekend!!!  Gabbers hates me combing her hair in the morning - it was pretty long and super curly which always meant knots and tears.  Gabby is becoming quite the helper... and I have found that seems to be helping with her listening and stubbornness.  She is very into makeup and nailpolish but loves playing outside in the dirt and wrestling with her brothers... :) 

typical stubborn Gabby face

Gavin Arthur: Mister I'm obsessed with sports ;)  Gavin started playing tball a couple of weeks ago and is loving it!!!  He wakes up Tues and Thurs mornings with a huge smile on his face because he knows it's tball day :)  Oh, and of course, he is still completely obsessed with ice hockey - more specifically the Flyers.  He knows everyone on the team and their jersey #s... even knows the coach!  Gav still really enjoys going to school  - and he hasn't missed a day yet this year!!!  And... this kid can eat... oh my word I am scared to know what my grocery bill will be in 10 years ;)

 

(way back) wordless wednesday

just a few of my favorite way back photos...  :) 

college graduation - West Virginia University - Go EERS!!!

my sweet baby Gavin Arthur... I LOVE his big brown eyes!!!

March favorite things & pinterest finds...

First I have to share - Miss Gabby Louise had her first dentist appointment yesterday :)  She did AWESOME!!!  I will post pictures as soon as I get them loaded and edited... but I am one proud momma!  And, the dentist said her teeth look super!!!

Now - March favorite things -  :)

olay all day moisturizer with sunscreen:  like I said last month, I don't have a crazy skin care routine but moisturizer in the morning is one thing I never miss.  I love this stuff!!!  It's light and makes my skin feel so smooth - never too oily or greasy!  Plus it has a little sunscreen which never hurts :)  (and it's one of the least expensive moisturizers out there)

revlon colorstay 'red carpet':  LOVE this stuff... such a pretty color and usually lasts for a while!  I got it at CVS when they had some crazy extra bucks deal going on so it only cost me $2.00 ;)  

Kashi Cherry Dark Chocolate granola bars:  YUMMY!!! :)  oh man, these things are delicious!  I love cherries and I love dark chocolate so when I saw these on the shelf I knew I had to try them... SO glad I did because I am hooked!!!

Dr. Schools Active Series inserts:  the second I put these babies in my running sneaks I knew it was $17 bucks well spent.  (you can find a $5.00 off coupon on the Dr. Scholls website)  

Streams in the Desert: this is the daily devotional that I read; I don't know that I've ever shared it much here.  I've been reading it for close to two years (okay, I've definitely missed some days in there...) but the days I do read it I find it very powerful and often times right on point with something I'm dealing with.  Today's devotion was really great... this one line really stuck out...

"God trains His soldiers not in tents of ease and luxury but by causing them to endure lengthy marches and difficult service."

Here are some of my favorite fashion pinterest 'finds' for March...  sure wish these things were in my closet instead of just on pinterest :)

these Toms are SO fun :)

isn't this GORGEOUS?!?

love this necklace... so simple and classy

I WANT THIS!!!  (too bad it's already sold)

I love green & navy together :)

this would be beautiful as a necklace too

this thing is AWESOME... would fit right in with my camel collection!!!

pedicure = bliss

I had my first ever pedicure today...

haha, yea, shake your head, I know, this chick is almost 30 years old and has never had a pedicure!

no surprise - I loved every single minute of it!!!  I went to a salon & spa close to my house, figured it might be a little more pricey than your normal nail salon but the experience would likely be a lot nicer... pretty sure I was right.  (I was also very thankful I could carry a normal conversation with the manicurist and I knew she wasn't making fun of me or talking about my short, stubby, fat toes in another language!!!)

I debated waiting a little while until my toenails grew back some (I trimmed them a good bit for the race) but I wanted some pampering today so I decided to go for it! :)

I will spare you a photo of my ugly feet ;)  Instead, check out this gorgeous salon & spa...

 

 

SO SO SO beautiful :)

 

13.1 miles - #1009

lets back up to March 14, 2013... this was the day I first felt pain in my right knee.  I had just gone down a hill then up a fairly steep, lengthy hill... at the top of the hill I began feeling pain on the outside of my knee.  I started running on a regular basis in January and never once felt any pain but this was no longer the case.  I didn't get too concerned until I tried to run the next day and I couldn't even go 1/2 a mile without wanting to cry.  It was seriously sucking the fun (and 'ease') out of running.

I took this pic right before I started down the hill... it was SO windy and SO freaking cold that day!!!

fast forward - a few more incredibly painful runs - saw the family doctor - had an MRI done - met with an orthopaedic doc - diagnosed with 'runner's knee' - thankfully no structural damange - took prednisone for 6 days - should have started physical therapy - tons of RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevate) - lost the last 3 weeks of running - had to really pray about doing the race or not - was really torn about it - then I saw my bib # -

1009.

Gage David's birthday. - October 9th

and - the day my grammie passed away - 0109 - January 9th

that was all I needed to know I was going to run - call me crazy - I know it's just a number - I know it just so happened that I was the 9th person, in alphabetical order, who signed up for the half marathon - but I didn't care about that - that number meant everything to me - that number signified overcoming two pregnancies just 6 weeks apart (this still blows my mind, no woman should ever ever have to experience that...) - that number represented my Grammie, my hero and me continuing to shine her light in everything that I do - and that included a HALF MARATHON!!!

during my training I wanted to run under 3 hours... ya see, I can run for a decent distance but I am not fast at all... I'm super putsy, which is fine with me.  I knew at the start of the day today that goal was out the window... new goal - finish.  I just wanted to finish and with a smile on my face instead of tears in my eyes, if at all possible.

3:25:56

I did it!!! :)

this once chubby, slow, non-athletic, unhealthy, body/weight obsessed, depressed girl is now a [still chubby] strong, healthy, half marathoner!!! (with a busted up ghetto knee who may not run again for a while!)

 pre-race... it was chilly but beautiful!!!

 

 around mile #8

 Gabby congratulating me with rocks as I make my way to the finish line...

 

In this life you will know
Love and pain, joy and sorrow
So when it hurts, when times get hard
Don’t forget whose child you are

this little light of mine... I'm gonna LET IT SHINE :)



30 before 30 update.

I've been slacking... on a lot of things lately, one being my 30 before 30 list.

oh well.  I'm allowed.  :)   it's my list, if I want to slack then I'm gonna slack ;)

so, a couple weekends Steven and I went to Boston for a couple of days and the weekend before that we went to an auction - 2 things down!!!

here's the list with my updates...

1. pay off my car. [her name is Blair and I love her!]
2. do something fun with my blog related to fashion and/or fitness.
3. get my third tattoo. [something fun and unique]
4. research & open a college savings account for g-cubed. done!!! made this momma feel really good :)
5. try to crochet. 9.23.12 - I tried it - sadly - I sucked!
6. conquer my fear of horses. [yes, this means riding one. yikes!]
7. redecorate my office with some of my photographs.
8. get a pedicure. [still never had one]
9. take Gavin ice-skating.
10. sponsor a child from Africa. her name is Olivia and she is adorable!
11. write a will. [I’m dragging my feet.]
12. paint our bedroom.
13. wear a bikini on my 30th birthday. [not a ‘skirt' bottom bikini.]
14. teach Gage his ABC’s. 11.22.12 - I'm one proud momma!!!
15. go to and buy something at an auction. [preferably something super old!] 3.16.13
 - spent $27.00 on some cool old (maybe useless) stuff ;)
16. get caught up on baby books.
17. complete a DIY project that’s blog post worthy. 9.12.12 - button flowers!!!
18. chaperone a field trip for my niece or nephews.
19. go skiing or snow tubing. [never done either.]
20. buy and rock a pair of funky skinny jeans. [they always look so cool!] 10.28.12 - not as 'funky' as I had hoped but at least they were cheap!!!
21. do something special with my Grammie’s shirts. 12.25.12 - had lap quilts and a pillow case made - gorgeous!!!
22. take Gabby to Disney on Ice. 11.4.12 - SO SO SO much fun!!!
23. give our house a major landscape overhaul.
24. try sushi. - 8.18.12 - really liked it!
25. run one mile on my old high school track. [to erase the terrible memories of ‘mile run day’ in gym class.] - 9.3.12 - 12:53 - felt good!
26. travel to a city Steven and I have never been to before. [maybe Boston.. not sure yet!] 3.22.13 - 3.24.13 - went to Boston - beautiful city - but still very much a country girl!!!
27. organize, then donate the [millions] of toys the kids no longer play with.
28. 5k, 10k, half marathon. [need to pray about this.]
29. shoot a gun. [for the first time!]
30. have a kick butt 30th birthday party!

I've still got a lot to get done - I doubt I will accomplish everything - some of this stuff costs too much money right now that we really don't have - like the painting, the landscaping and redecorating my office.  I'm just going to focus on the inexpensive (or free) fun stuff!!! 

my auction items:

 

hahaha, the unicorn stuff just cracks me up!!!

 

 

some photos of our Boston trip:

 

*half marathon post is in the works...