Spring Break Days 7 and 8: more eating out and coloring Easter eggs

As I am sitting here tonight thinking back over Spring Break, I realize that it has been a great week. It has been busy, but busy on my terms and not dependent on work schedules or school schedules. I have had downtime and have been able to read and write up some book reviews (I am sure you have noticed). It has been good for my soul. 

So what have we been up to the last 2 days?...

Well Thursday was my youngest brother's birthday. He turned 18! The kids and I met up with him, my mom, and my sister for lunch. 

When we came home, I straightened up a bit and then sat and read a book for about an hour or so before dinner. Rebecca and Ben were supposed to have football practice but it was raining all day so it got cancelled. Then I took Bill out for Mexican for dinner as no one was in the mood for hot dogs! LOL 

Yesterday, I spent the morning running errands. I had to pick up fresh fruit and veggies that I needed for Ben's birthday party which is later today. The stores were crazy busy as it is a holiday weekend. When I got home, I put the groceries away and worked out.

I have now done the beginner shred DVD for 4 days in a row. Yesterday was the first day that I really wasn't that sore. Feels good.

After I was done, my mom, sister and other brother stopped by. I had texted my mom asking her if she could go to the orchard near her house and get me some hot salsa. It was on my list of things to do over Spring Break but I hadn't had time as it is about 20 minutes away. Well, an hour later she showed up with not one or two jars, but 12! She bought all they had! She is the best! 

The afternoon was spent coloring Easter eggs and baking Ben's birthday cake. The kids loved coloring eggs.

 

After a dinner of hot dogs, the kids watched a movie, while I worked on decorating Ben's cake. He asked for a "Blaze Monster truck" cake and I love how it turned out! 

After getting the kids to bed, I worked on making fruit salad for Ben's party, packing lunches for an AHG field trip that Rebecca has later today, and straightening up the main floor of the house. I will have to say that I have been keeping up with the housework so it didn't take too long. I just had to clean up the bathroom and sweep and I was good to go! 

I am looking ahead at a very busy day so I had best get off of here and go exercise so I can get the day started. I hope everyone has a lovely Saturday! 

An Unexpected Role by Leslea Wahl

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The devastation of a ruined summer.
The gift of a second chance.
Can Josie learn the lessons she needs in order to discover her true self?

After a humiliating event and overwhelming peer pressure, 16-year-old Josie flees her home to spend the summer with her Aunt on a South Carolina island. Her fresh start turns into the summer of her dreams as friendships grow, romance blossoms, and a series of thefts surround her with excitement. However, when tragedy strikes someone close to her, Josie realizes there are more important things than her reputation. As she sets out to solve the mystery she has become entangled in, she not only realizes the importance of relying on her faith but along the way also discovers who God wants her to be.

MY THOUGHTS::

In An Unexpected Role by Leslea Wahl, Josie is a theater nerd who doesn't feel like she fits in her high school. She can't wait until her junior year when she finally will fit in. However, her mom is a best selling author who uses Josie's life as inspiration. In her latest book though, the other high schoolers decide to really make fun of Josie even though the newest book isn't really about her. In fact her life is so miserable that she decided to go visit her aunt in South Carolina for the summer. What follows is a tale of adventure, summer romance, figuring out who you are and how God is helping along in your life. 

An Unexpected Role was a really good story. As someone who felt like an outsider in high school, I really felt like the character of Josie could be me. At first, the character of Josie really was kind of annoying to me as she was whiny and so self-centered. Then she really started allowing the outside world in and started thinking things through and the story became much more enjoyable to me. 

This was a great, lighthearted story. There is adventure for those who like a mystery--- a true "who done it?" mystery as to whom is burglarizing the town. There is a love interest. There is pirate treasure. Overall, it is a great read and I would highly recommend it! 

DISCLAIMER::

I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookCrash in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A Light On the Hill by Connilyn Cossette

BOOK DESCRIPTION:::

Seven years ago, Moriyah was taken captive in Jericho and branded with the mark of the Canaanite gods. Now the Israelites are experiencing peace in their new land, but Moriyah has yet to find her own peace. Because of the shameful mark on her face, she hides behind her veil at all times and the disdain of the townspeople keeps her from socializing. And marriage prospects were out of the question . . . until now.

Her father has found someone to marry her, and she hopes to use her love of cooking to impress the man and his motherless sons. But when things go horribly wrong, Moriyah is forced to flee. Seeking safety at one of the newly-established Levitical cities of refuge, she is wildly unprepared for the dangers she will face, and the enemies--and unexpected allies--she will encounter on her way.

MY THOUGHTS:::

Not having read a lot of Biblical Fiction in the past, I was intrigued by the story line of Connilyn Cossette's novel A Light on the Hill. All I can say is wow and that I will definitely be looking forward to reading more of Ms. Cossette's work. She was able to take a time in Biblical history (during the time of fall of Jericho and the distribution of the tribal lands) and make it seem so real and relatable to the average Bible reader. She made it come alive by the story that she tells of Moriyah.

A Light on the Hill focuses on the story of Moriyah, a Hebrew woman, who has to flee her home after a devastating accident to go to a city of refuge so that she will be able to have a fair trial in front of the elders. This is a story of overcoming one's own insecurities in the light of the living, conquering  your fears, and truly being the person who you are in your heart no matter what you look like on the outside. On her voyage, Moriyah goes through several instances of turbulence but learns to trust in Yahweh and rely on his guidance and mercy. She learns who she really is and is able to become outwardly who she is and not hide behind her veil, all while surviving in enemy territory, surviving a lioness attack, helping her friends, and falling in love. This was an amazing story of becoming true to yourself both in your heart and how you portray yourself to the outside world. 

I would highly recommend this book, but be warned that once you start reading you may not want to stop until you are done as it is a page-turner. I read it over the course of 2 days as I could not put it down! 

DISCLAIMER:::

I was provided  a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher Bethany House, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Spring Break Day 6: Library Day

Wednesday was another rainy day around here. Why can't the sun stay out? LOL 

In the morning Rebecca and I headed to Walmart to get a birthday present for Ben and to get some 3 pound weights. I am doing the Jillian Michael's Beginner Shred and the 5 pound weights we had at home that I used on Tuesday, were a little too heavy.

After we got home, I worked out to the DVD and used the 3 pound weights and they gave me great resistance and were perfect. Then I heated up leftovers for lunch. 

After lunch, it was time to take the kids for their outing of the day-- the library. The kids love going to the library and finding lots of books. I also let them play on the computers today, while I sat and read 2 magazines! It felt good to sit and relax.

It was another great Spring Break day with the kids!

I talked to my mom later that night and she wanted to know if I had had enough of the kids yet. I told her no, because I was keeping them busy. It is a happy medium. Yes, we are busy, but it is a good busy and really of our own doing and there is no pressure to do this or that at a time that is not our own.  

The Art of Fully Living: 1 Man. 10 Years. 100 Life Goals Around the World. by Tal Gur

BOOK DESCRIPTION::
Master the art of fully living, one life goal at a time.

Do you want to experience your one life—your whole life—to its fullest measure?

In this stirring book, author, blogger and lifestyle entrepreneur, Tal Gur offers his own transformational journey as an inspiring example and practical guide to implementing the art of fully living to its fullest potential. You’ll learn how to actualize your potential by forging all aspects of your life through the process built into your life goals.

Once you discover “the art of fully living,” there is no going back; it will feel unacceptable to settle for less than your dreams—and what’s more, you’ll dream even more wildly, aspiring to action with greater clarity of purpose, broader horizons of possibility, and holistic vision across all areas of your life.

The very structure of this book models Tal’s immersive approach to goal-driven living: each chapter of The Art of Fully Living is dedicated to a year of focus—socializing, fitness, freedom, contribution, love, adventure, wealth, relationship, spirituality, and creativity—and follows Tal’s endeavors as he works toward fulfilling 100 life goals in only 10 years.

This daunting ambition, springing from one late-night conversation among friends and a gnawing discontentment within the typical “success” story, becomes extremely relatable through Tal’s bold storytelling; what’s more, the deep lessons learned become immediately applicable for your own purposes as Tal thoughtfully extracts the actionable wisdom from his own experiences to articulate the principles and techniques of “the art of fully living.”

The Art of Fully Living takes you along the exhilarating ride of Tal’s journey while illuminating your own possible life-goal trajectory: as Tal relates how he socialized nonstop in vibrant Melbourne to master English and trained intensively to complete Ironman New Zealand and practice ancient Thai martial arts, you’ll learn how to apply immersion to achieve your own life goals; as Tal describes how he eliminated his crushing student debt in one year and attained financial and location independence, you’ll learn how to simplify your life, recognize your own present wealth, and turn your passions into a living; and as Tal animates his experiences learning to surf and salsa, to drum in a troupe and compose electronic music, and to write this very book, you’ll learn how to let your intuition be your guide, reveal your authentic core, and achieve flow—among the myriad other adventures and take-aways that fill this book.

Tal not only introduces the idea that the art of fully living is another skill to master but also guides you through honing this skill with chapter lessons and actionable key takeaways.

This is especially for you if you find yourself frustrated often, feeling low, or if you’re struggling while asking yourself “What do I REALLY want?”

You will find your calling.
You will define your life goals.
You will discover how to leverage your strengths to achieve your dreams.
You will know what it means to be truly free.
You will be fulfilled by the path you have chosen to take from this point on.

Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone discovered and did what made them feel fully alive?
Your dreams are your dreams for a reason; they are rooted in your deepest understanding of who you want and can become.

MY THOUGHTS:::

I have read many self-help books in my life. I am a fan of one's that offer insights into the author's life as well as a plan to improve my own. I believe that we all can become better when we learn from the experiences of others and not just when someone is telling us what to do different in our lives without providing concrete evidence. Well, Tal Gur offers loads of personal stories and experiences in his book The Art of Fully Living. 1 Man. 10 Years. 100 Life Goals. Tal Gur had what to many would seem like an idyllic life-- a great job, money, was at the top of his career. However, something felt off; something was missing. How many of us find ourselves thinking that something is missing from our lives? How many of us are brave enough to further explore and take steps to find out what is missing and why? Tal Gur took that risk. He got tired of being sick and tired with life and he moved to change it. This was a journey of finding new relationships, getting married, getting divorced, moving to many different countries, figuring out what was important. It was a journey of self discovery that can offer hope to others. Not only does Tal Gur give the readers his own experiences, he also offers ideas and ways that the readers can change their own life and fully engage in the life that they want to live rather than the mediocre, status quo that they may be living. He offers his way of "commitment, immersion, and discipline" in order to achieve the goals that one may decide to set for themselves. 

Overall, if you are looking for an inspirational read that will make you really want to focus on living your life to the fullest or if you are feeling like you need some inspiration to change your life, then I highly suggest that you read The Art of Fully Living. 1 Man. 10 Years. 100 Life Goals. by Tal Gur. 

DISCLAIMER:::
I was sent a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Weigh In Wednesday #13 of 2018 and Spring Break Day 5: Fun at SPI Spot

Yesterday it was raining most of the day and miserable. Thankfully it wasn't too cold, but the rain just made it dreary. So we decided to take the kids to our local science play place-- SPI Spot. We were gifted a family membership and I hate to say that we have only gone once before. We really need to remedy that as the kids love when we go and it is only five minutes from our house. 

The kids had a blast exploring measurement, energy, climbing, robots, etc. 

After we went to SPI Spot, Bill and the kids talked me into taking them to McDonald's for lunch. We have been eating out way to often which is not good for my waistline. I am trying to plan out after Easter so that I can get back on track. I knew that this week's weigh in was not going to be pretty. Having said that, let's see what the scale said this week::

Official Starting Weight (1/3/18): 241.0

My weight last week: 236.0

My weight this week: 239.2

Weight loss from last week: +3.2 pounds!! OUCH!!!!

Total weight loss for 2018: -1.8 pounds! 

Not good. Not good at all. I know what the problem is.... too much eating out. The problem is that I enjoy eating out and I know it isn't good for my waistline or my wallet. This week's weigh in was definitely a result of eating out too much and indulging too much. I have to get back to square one and making and eating at home is definitely what I need to do to make this happen. I know that there will be more eating out this week with Spring Break and with Ben's birthday coming up on Monday. After that I have no excuse. I don't want to see 240 again on the scale. 

Source

On the exercise front: I mentioned in my 2018 goals post that I wanted to walk 3 days a week. Since there are 52 weeks in a year, that means my goal is to walk 156 times over the course of the year. 

Well since I last posted a Weigh In Wednesday post, I did the following walks:

March 23-- a little over 4 miles at the zoo

March 25-- 2.75 miles (this was in the woods with inclines)

So that means I am now at 19 out of 156 workout walks completed for the year! Hopefully now that spring is here I will be able to get more walks in.

I have also invested a whole $1 on a Jillian Michael's Beginner Shred DVD (found at Dollar Tree and then saw Amazon was selling for close to $9).

I started it yesterday when I just felt fat and out of shape and man is it tough. It is a 30 day program, with each workout being 20 minutes. You do workout 1 for 10 days, workout 2 for 10 days and then workout 3 for 10 days. I came away from day 1 feeling very out of shape and just not anywhere where I need to be. This morning, I woke up sore in places I haven't been sore of in a while. I already completed day 2 today and I hurt but in a good way. Something has to give and I really need to do this. I CAN do it!  

If you are trying to lose weight or get healthier, how is your journey going so far?

Live Your Life: 14 Days to the Best You by Ann LeFevre

BOOK DESCRIPTION::

Do you feel like you're stuck in a rut? Overwhelmed by stress? Struggling to generate the momentum needed to improve your circumstances? Discover a 14-day program to kickstart a new and improved you. 

Psychotherapist Dr. Ann LeFevre has dedicated her life to helping clients break through boundaries and embrace their full potential. And now, she's here to help you do the same!

  

Live Your Life: 14 Days to the Best You is a transformative resource for exposing your mental blocks and building a bridge to success. Through daily lessons and easy-to-follow action items, Dr. LeFevre will guide you along the path of self-discovery, growth, and acceptance. 

In Live Your Life, you'll discover: 

• How to pinpoint your sources of dissatisfaction and enact meaningful change 
• How to acquire new skills in the pursuit of your goals 
• How to reframe your story through the lens of compassion 
• How to manage stressors and reduce the risk of stress-induced health issues 
• How to create a strategy for taking your life to the next level, and more! 

Dr. LeFevre's inspiring resource is your guide for taking back control of your life. If you like daily actionable steps, self-exploration, and time-tested tips, then you'll love this motivating book. 

As a bonus, readers are invited to download a free Companion Workbook, and to view brief, informative videos from Dr. LeFevre's website to augment learning. To view Dr. LeFervre's website visit restorebodyandsoul.com.

MY THOUGHTS::

LeFevre really hits a home run with Live Your Life: 14 Days to the Best You. This is not your typical self help book in that the author doesn't tell you that you have to do everything in this book and in this order. Rather she offers 14 topics that you can go over, including Silencing the voices, breathing, giving yourself compassion, just starting somewhere, etc. I love how she starts the beginning saying that this book is separated into 14 days/ lessons and while she encourages you to read through all 14, she knows that some may not be applicable right now to your life and that is okay. She even suggests at the end of the book that if you would like, pick one of the lessons to really delve into and when you feel that that area is good for your life, choose another lesson, etc. 

As I was reading this book, I will admit that there were several chapters that really struck a cord with where I am in my own life. The chapter for Day 6 is titled "Let It Go." In this chapter, LeFevre talks about letting go of things that are taking up space and that are not you. I felt strongly that this chapter was talking to me as I have been having a great calling to get rid of stuff in my house and I am much happier with less clutter. I love how LeFevre ends each chapter with thinking items and actions items that are small things that you can do to put that chapter into action. 

In my opinion, if you feel like you are stuck in life or there are some areas that just aren't what you want them to be, I highly suggest you check out Live Your Life: 14 Days to the Best You by Ann LeFevre.



DISCLAIMER:: I received this book from The Cadence Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Spring Break Day 4: Fun at the Park

Monday turned out to be a gorgeous day out. When I had asked the kids last week what they wanted to do over Spring Break, one of the things they said was go play at the park with all the stuff. We have a park in town where there are lots of slides, climbing things, etc. So Monday afternoon, we took the kids to the park and they loved it! 

They had so much fun and they even thanked Bill and I, when we got in the van to leave, for taking them there! They are some sweet kids and I am blessed to call them mine! 

Spring Break Day 3: Hiking at Honey Run

Sunday was day 3 of Spring Break for the kiddos. We started early by going to PSR classes for the kids. They watched the 8th graders put on the Living Stations of the Cross for the other students. We decided not to go to mass as I didn't think that Ben would sit through the long mass and I wasn't feeling like sitting through another political homily by our priest. 

After we came home we had lunch and then decided to head out for a walk. Last week when I asked the kids what they wanted to do over Spring Break, Jacob mentioned he wanted to go the waterfall. So I made the decision that we head out to Danville and to the waterfall. Last time we were there it was 2 degrees outside and the waterfall was 90% frozen. 

Well yesterday was a perfect day. The sun was out and the falls were flowing. The kids love exploring the park. After spending a little time around the waterfall, we headed down the trail to the river and explored a little of the rock formations. 

At one point, I climbed toward the top of some of the rock formations and discovered an area of icycles that were formed under some overhang. It was really neat. 

After we walked out to the river, we headed across the street to explore some of the Honey Run Highland Park with it's hiking trails. We decided to take the "Prairie Trail"... Well, word of warning, it is uphill for the first 1/2 mile or so. LOL 

It was a pretty day for a hike though and when we got towards the top the views were very pretty. 

It was a fun way to spend the afternoon and left my soul refreshed.