Thursday, November 14, 2013

Come

I heard this song for the first time on the radio this week.  It captured me because it was such a fresh reminder that God wants us to just come to Him.  No matter what a mess I may be, no matter the good times or the hard times that God wants me.   We have access to Him.  We have rest in Him.  He just wants us to come!  Nothing is more satisfying than when I surrender to him and allow myself to lay in His arms and feel His unspeakable love!  Especially as we move closer to the busy-ness of the Christmas season.  Lets all try and find time in every day to surrender to Him, just as we are!

 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

 

Thursday, November 7, 2013

And this is why..

I wanted to share something that has been on my heart.  I believe that most of you know that I have joined the Advocare team.  Since May, Advocare has become a huge part of our life and our family and I am so very thankful for it.  I have worked to keep a balance between my family, my full time job and my new Advocare life.  It is a new piece to the crazy busy puzzle but it is becoming a very key piece in my life.  It isn't because of the amount of weight loss, it isn't because of any amount of additional income, but it is about what this company represents and values!  And the friends that I get to work this with are amazing ladies who encourage and support in amazing ways.  I am so thankful!

I attended my first Advocare event this past weekend.  It was a ladies only event and it was amazing. It opened my eyes to learn what this company is all about and what it represents.  Lets face it, Advocare has amazing product...I mean really solid products but honestly the products speak for themselves.  It is no accident that Advocare was recently named  #1 by Yahoo Finance for Direct Selling.  Advocare has a Sci-Med board and members who are very smart and work hard to ensure their products do what they say they are going to do and that they are effective.  They are solid and having been on them now for a few months, really they are awesome!   But this Advocare life isn't about selling a product...it is about changing lives! It is the quality of life that is gained by now having energy that I never had before. Food choices and cravings have all changed for the better.  The biggest change has been in Justin.  Before Advocare, about every 3 weeks Justin would tell me on Sunday morning 'it starts tomorrow'...the 'it' was whatever the latest diet he was forcing himself on.  It is with great joy that I say I haven't heard those words since May because after we did the 24 day Challenge we continued in those right food choices.  We naturally make the healthier choices and have stuck with it and it has made a difference.  Justin has lost over 30LB since the beginning of the year!  That is HUGE!! He looks AMAZING!!  I am so proud of him and he is still losing.  I am thankful that we were introduced to Advocare and that this change has taken place in our lives!

So, why wouldn't I want that same result for everyone I know?  I want to share Advocare with others so that they can have added energy and get stronger in their exercise or lose weight that they have been trying to lose.  To be able to help someone else to change habits for the better and feel better about themselves..that is what it is about!   Now, let me get on my soap box for a minute:  It is NOT about being skinny.  I have a huge heart for us ladies and our body image.  We are exposed to magazines, tv and social media that makes us feel like we aren't the greatest if we aren't as skinny as fill in the blank!  God created me and He created you and He doesn't want us to be the same or look the same!  It isn't the number on the scale.  It is about how you feel?  First, find confidence in yourself because God adores you and you should too!  So, how do you feel?  If you don't really feel that great about your body?  Have you been on every diet you can trying to lose those last 5LB?  Or like Justin, need to lose a bunch of weight that you've picked up over many years? Advocare has products and solutions that can help.  Are you exhausted by the end of your day?  Do you crash in the bed every night? Do you count down the minutes until your children nap so that you can also nap?   Advocare has products and solutions that can help.  Are you at a good weight and want to increase your exercise  momentum and stamina?  Advocare has products and solutions that can help!   You can feel your very best!  Now is the time!!

My parents have both done the challenge and lost weight and inches and have transformed their eating habits.  I have close friends who are doing the challenge and feeling better about themselves.  I have another friend who lost 10inches after doing the challenge!  When you see results it motivates you to continue to do what is working and that becomes habits.  What habits do you need to change to help you feel your very best?  There is something for everyone based on your needs!

One of the Doctors from the Sci-Med board was at the event last weekend and shared a lot of product knowledge and the biggest thing I took away was the importance of core nutrition.  In our society of being over served  and under nourished we need vitamins to fill in the nutritional gaps.  Even just some basic products can help to provide your body with overall health and wellness.  It is no different than cleaning the lent filter in your dryer or changing the oil in your car....you do both so that the dryer and car will run at peak efficiency.  Why wouldn't you do exactly the same for your body?  You honestly can feel the best you have ever felt and be happier as a result because you will change habits and feel better about you!  Not that you need to lose weight (I don't) but my running is better and faster because I am healthier.  I take supplements to fill in those gaps.  I just want you to know that you can have better, if you're not where you want to be!  And that goes for physically and financially.  The financial side is a whole new post that I will share another time!  I am here if you have any questions.  I just want people to understand why I want to share, it is not to push product on you but because I want you to feel as good as I feel!  AMAZING!  And to understand that Advocare is a company who honestly believes and lives out priorities in life - of putting God and family first! They are about putting others first and honestly making a difference in someone else's life!  That is what I am after!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Pumpkin Time & Fire Time

We didn't exactly make it to our normal Pumpkin Patch this year.  We have either been on the go or sick, and last Saturday Justin went to the Alabama game and I needed an easy activity since I was flying solo with the kiddos.  So we went to a church pumpkin patch that is only 20 minutes away vs. the other one that we like to go to which is about an hour away.  But this one isn't actually patch at all but had the biggest and best pumpkins I have ever seen.  But considering I had two kids and a stroller we settled for a precious little pumpkin instead.  The best part was both kids LOVED the hay ride and Collier wore himself out on the jumpies!  Kenley got in for just a few minutes but wasn't quite as interested.  The weather was perfect and it was the perfect outing that was close and easy to manage!

Last night we finally got to carve our Jack-o-Lanters and it was so fun.  We missed our Aunt Lindsey and Uncle Hunter, but with Kenley being sick we did a quick family carving instead.  Collier got to carve his very own little pumpkin...he had to clean it, draw his face and then cut it out (well the cutting part was mostly me, but he helped a little)  His favorite was getting to push the eyes and mouth out once we got done carving.  He was so cute, excited and proud!  As was I!





LET THE CARVING BEGIN!!!

And just for the record, last Friday night we had our first fire of the season....earliest fire ever!  Never have had one in October but it was a good one to kick off our season.  The reason we love winter is a cozy fire.

Kenley has been sick this week.  Our first experience with croup..and I don't like it.  The labored breathing is enough to scare me and I just want to breath for her.  But thanks to a steroid shot, from our doctor visit, she is getting better. She isn't exactly well yet but is getting better with each day.  Nasty cough and a good bit of fever and I am praying that it will clear up soon!  Unlike Sunday night, she has slept good the past two nights...so I am thankful for that!  

Saturday, October 26, 2013

My Run - 4 BridgesI

So, last weekend we traveled to Chattanooga to stay with our Cousins, The Tuckers for the weekend.  It was packed with fun and laughter and ended with huge achievement and sore legs/calves!

We got started at the Aquarium on Friday afternoon. Collier's favorites were the huge sharks and the gigantic catfish!  I loved the sting rays and the jelly fish were quite fascinating.  The penguins were way too cute too.









After lunch on Saturday we went and rode the carousel and enjoyed a yummy ice cream.  The weather was so wonderful and was glad to enjoy being outside for most of the day!  Then headed to the funnest park ever up on Signal Mountain.  It is amazing!! I think that we all enjoyed it...Plus having Taylor to climb and slide and adventure with made it all that much better!  Then we wrapped up our evening with lots of football (watching and playing in the back yard) with the family.  It was a house divided for the Tucker family since FSU played Clemson!



















Sunday I ran the 4 Bridge Half Marathon with my friend Christen.  It was a good race and I ran it in a record 2 hours for me!  Christen got into a quick pace and finished about 3 minutes ahead of me, but I enjoyed the race and was very well pleased with my time.  Plus having my family there to support and cheer me on was extra awesome!  That always is the PERFECT way to finish the race!!






After the race, we got packed up and were so sad to leave Taylor, Aunt T and Uncle Randy.  But they toured us to the apple orchard and Signal Mountain Look-out before we headed home.  It was such a fun and amazing weekend.  Special memories made with our family, who we love so dearly!  Thankful that they were willing to open their home to us for this weekend of fun.  






Saturday, October 5, 2013

Can you believe...

..how life gets so busy and how now matter how often I think about a post in my head finding the time to sit and type and upload photos just seems almost impossible.  I want to do better, but just can't seem to stay committed.  Work changes in the past 6 months (the company I have worked for the past 8 years was acquired by a larger company...CHANGE!!) have had me a little more distracted than normal.  I was just thinking this morning about how this is just a season in life and before long it will be different distractions and different ways of being busy.

First, Kenley is officially 18 month!  She is cuter than ever and growing all to quickly.  She is 25LB  (65%) and 33" Tall (75%) and doing great.  She knows the sounds for dog, cow, kitty, sheep and chops her hands for alligator and gives you the cutest nose wrinkle for a bunny.  She is still taking two naps most days!  She keeps us all on our toes as she loves to push buttons on any and all electronic devices she can get her tiny fingers on.  She is a mess!  She also adores Ceadermont Kids, just like Collier did (and technically still does) and will give her daddy the best snuggles..enough to make this momma a little jealous.  Either way it just melt my heart so watch the two of them.  She is very independent in her picky eating...she wants to do it all by herself and that normally ends up in a total mess.  Her favorite foods are crackers, apple sauce, yogurt, apples and bananas.







Collier has been doing amazing in school.  He is learning so much so quickly, and I know this has a lot to do with his wonderful teachers.  He loves to practice writing everyones names, and does great with his letters.  He does Soccer Shots and Bible study on Monday which makes for a long and busy Monday...especially for Nammy (Mom)!  He recently got to be on TV - Soccer Shots was doing a promo for an event and he and two other little boys (one of which is one of his best buds - Ethan) were playing soccer in the background, his big TV debut!  He continues to be a hard worker and loves any task that he can do.  He likes to help and be involved in any way possible.  Just today he wanted to work outside.  So he helped me clean out the tomato plants, put away all of the empty pots and containers and then decided to clean the filthy dirt covered table, all the way down to the legs.  He is great at doing dishes and vacuuming the house.  He is such a sweet little man.  He is also a good big brother 80% of the time...he has his moments when he just needs his 'space' but for the most part is realizing that she can be pretty fun if he will play with her.  She is never too far behind him anyway!









I love and adore this family that I have and am more than blessed to call them all mine!