Finally November

Wow, it's finally November. October just dragged on and on for me. It was probably because I failed miserably in keeping my resolutions and just wanted to get to a new month! Part of me wants to just quit the resolutions before I ever really started. BUT that is part of the reason I wanted to START doing the resolutions... because I often quit things I start. So here goes.


Gym=F. I didn't go at least four days every week. I didn't go at least two days a week. I think I exercised more regularly when I didn't have a perfectly laid out plan telling me exactly what to do each day...

Quit sugar using the "8 week sugar detox"=F. Never started. I have a problem. I need to be locked in a room for six weeks until I am no longer addicted to sugar. I wish it was as simple as just liking sweets. It's so much more than that and I won't bore you with the details.

Keep up with the "Digging Deep" Bible study=C. I sadly and pathetically get so easily distracted by worldly things.

Stick with the budget=B. We actually did pretty good with this. We, of course, did go over on our eating out budget. It was sort of a weird month with Aaron being out of town two separate times and me gone for a weekend. Excuses, I've got plenty. Other than that, if felt good to have a plan and to know where our money was going overall.

I think that averages to a D. Great.

Some people like to dedicate the month of November to NOT doing something like "No Spend November", "No Make-up November", etc. Cute play on the word "no" huh? Well I've decided to make it "No Excuses November".

No more excuses when it comes to living faithfully to God first and foremost.
No more excuses when it comes to exercising and eating better.
No more excuses when it comes to our budget.
Just to name a few...

::mood change::

I am super excited that it is November. I love the weather this time of year. I love the opportunities coming up to be with family. I love the special opportunity to reflect on the many blessings God has given me and AJ. Many people take the month of November to share something they are thankful for each day on Facebook. I think that is a great idea. Of course we are to be and should be thankful year round. God's word instructs us to be thankful. Ephesians 5:20; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 2:6,7; 3:15-17 just to name a few passages. I think actually listing or "counting my blessings" each day would help me with my excuses problem.

God has afforded me with every necessity of life and beyond so I really have no excuse.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: Ephesians 1:3

September Resolutions graded.

Okay, here I am to grade myself on how I did with my September resolutions... not too good I must say! However, just by making the resolutions at the beginning of the month I did think about my goals more often.

Let's go.

Hit the gym at least five days a week: C. The first two weeks I went four days then the third I went three. Last week I only went once! I did go out of town... excuses. So I never made it five times in a week, but I did go every week.

Keep up with the "Digging Deep" Bible Study: B. The goal for the month of September was to read through the book of Genesis while making notes about sanctification. I almost made it through the entire book, but almost doesn't count. :/ I did listen to the monthly podcast, too!

Stick to our budget: D. AJ and I made our budget at the beginning of the month and we really wanted to stick to it. What got us in the end was eating out too much.

Continue ALFYP Sunday series: F. That should be an obvious one. I didn't do it ONE time!

Average: D... +... Ugh. On to October!

Since keeping monthly resolutions is new to me I am going to basically go with the same ones for October, maybe tweeked a little bit.

Go to the gym at least FOUR days a week. Five was a little impossible. Four is doable.

Quit sugar using the "8 week sugar detox" by Naturally Knocked Up. You have to subscribe to her blog updates in order to get the detox info. (Obviously I'll only be half way through by the time November comes.)

Keep up with the "Digging Deep" Bible study. We are starting Exodus this month!

Stick with the budget! Two days into October and we are doing good. HA!

Excited about October! :)









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Three years gone but not forgotten!

Today is anniversary number 3 for me and AJ! What have the last three years been like? Amazing! Although, I must admit that nothing has really gone according to plan, ha ha. Whatever the plan WAS I am thankful for where we are NOW.

Since today is our wedding anniversary and I haven't blogged "our story" yet I figured today would be a great day to share! Read on if you dare! (I just rhymed... sorry.)

 AJ and I met in 2008 when we went to the Diana singing with a mutual friend... also known as "the guy I was talking to". When I first met AJ I didn't really give him any thought besides "Wow, he's funny!" and "Wow, that guy knows a lot about the Bible!". Anyway, the three of us went to the singing and had a good time. A few weeks later I wasn't talking to TGIWTT anymore... he dumped me! (Yay!) For some reason after that I got on good ol' Facebook to tell AJ I was dumped. From that moment on we were talking daily and for hours on Facebook and finally on the phone. Less than a month after we met we decided to meet for a date. I can't remember if he asked me or if I asked him.When it came time for us to meet for our first date, I couldn't even remember how tall he was! It didn't matter; I was already hooked. AJ came to Jacksonville to go to a JSU football game with me, and a friend of mine and two of her little girls. I guess you could say it was a chaperoned date. We had a blast and after that AJ and I were meeting every weekend we could, usually half-way in the big town of Talladega. It's where we had our first kiss and where I, according to him, proposed just about two months after our first date. I didn't get down on one knee or anything!! It just came up in conversation and ever since then AJ has been convinced I proposed... maybe I did.

Snap shot of my future husband the day we met!   Sept 12, 2008.      

Our first date! Oct 4, 2008

We are cool, we made a sign for the game!

One of my favorite pictures of the two of us.

Well we officially became engaged in March of 2009; six months after we met! When you know, you know; you know? After six months of wedding planning we became Mr & Mrs! September 25th of 2009 will always be one of the best, most amazing days of my life! We have been moving ever since... seriously!

Engagement shoot, CDP.

Claire Drummond Photography

Honey moon!

Sorry, I don't have a single wedding picture on the computer I am using! 

AJ moved to Jacksonville so I could finish school. Next thing we know we are moving to Wilsonville, AL in December of 2009. In April of 2010 we moved to Calera, AL, just two towns over, into a nice new and fancy apartment. We both had really good jobs at that time and could afford it. Later the cost became too high (2 hours to and from work for me... that was 4 less hours I could spend with my sweet hubby each day!) and it wasn't worth it. So we found ourselves moving again in... October of 2010, just after our one-year anniversary, back to Wilsonville. We almost stayed there for a year until AJ finally came to terms with the fact that his desire was to become a gospel preacher. (I was so glad. It's what he has always wanted to do.) So August 2011, we packed up again and headed north to Memphis, TN. Here we are today! We have officially lived here for one year, plus a couple of weeks; it's the longest we have ever lived anywhere since we have been married. Go us!

It's been a little crazy, but crazy is fun, right?! After all the packing and unpacking and telling our parents we are moving for the fourth time I couldn't be happier. I will never mind moving as long as I'm with my one and only. I love you, baby!

What's in store for us next?!?!?  

Babies! Lots of babies!!! LOL J/k... or am I?

Seriously, for now we are focusing on AJ finishing school at MSOP and finding a congregation of the church to work with. Pray for us! :)

How many times have you moved? Anything new and exciting in store for you?

Thanks for reading. You're awesome! 

PS. I don't know why the pictures are positioned the way they are so just deal! Thanks! 

Work out week 2.

Two? Yes, two. I repeated the first week because I didn't feel like I really did everything correctly the first time. Even repeating it I didn't do the 60 min jog on Friday. It is hard for me to get to the gym on Fridays.

Updated. I totally forgot to post my work out for the week. Here you go! 

Week 2:

• Monday – 5 sets of 8: deadlifts, bulgarian squats, lunges. 50: squat jumps,  calve raises.  Plank for 3 minutes, 60 reverse crunches, 60 hanging knee raises (these are almost impossible for me... going to get it.)
• Tuesday – 60 minutes HIIT cycling (:30/1:30 format)
• Wednesday – 5 sets of 8: incline bench press, clean and press, overhead tricep extension, bent over barbell row, concentration curls, upright row.
• Thursday – 60 minutes HIIT running (sprint for 30 seconds/jog for 1:30 minutes)
• Friday – 5 sets of 8: deadlifts, bulgarian squats, lunges. 50 squat jumps, 50 calve raises.  Plank for 3 minutes, 60 reverse crunches, 60 hanging knee raises

Tips: When there aren’t any sets listed for squat jumps, calve raises, planks, and any ab exercises, complete the number of reps/time in as few sets as possible. i.e. 50 squats as fast as possible, before moving on to the 50 calve raises.  Continue to go heavy on the weight during resistance training.

 
I use to really enjoy going to the gym first thing in the AM. Now I would rather go at 1:30 in the afternoon. I have figured out that it is the SLOWEST time for the gym; there are like 2 or 3 other people there at that time. Its awesome. Starting next week I will begin working again, keeping a little girl at my apartment 3 days a week. I will have to go first thing on those days at least.

I am afraid I will have another poor weigh-in next week. Even though the first is a Monday I am waiting until the fourth in order to give myself an extra couple of days. :/ Sad I know. I am going to predict a 2 lb loss. We shall see!

Tomorrow is mine and AJ's THIRD anniversary!!!! Yippee!!!! I love him A LOT! Won't say much about it since I will probably do an anniversary post tomorrow. <3 data-blogger-escaped-br="br">
Wednesday is our oldest nephew Sam's 8th birthday! I can't believe how grown he is! He is in second grade and loves video games, books, movies, Star Wars and all the super heroes. Most 8 year-old boys do though, don't they? He plays soccer, too! I am planning to go home for his birthday party this weekend. I am more than excited about this because it has been awhile since I have seen him! Not only that, but my brother (Sam's dad) and his youngest son, Gareth, are coming from Maryland, too! Its been a really long time since I have seen them. Its going to be a great weekend. The only thing that would make it better is if AJ could go with me. Sam loves his uncle and will be sad AJ couldn't come.

I'll leave you with a couple pictures of the birthday boy.




Sam when he was about two. Photo belongs to his mom.




Sam at 7 and 3/4s with my beautiful mom. Isn't Sam a handsome boy? :)
This photo was taken by my sister-in-law.

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