I Have A Confession!

     I have a confession to make: I love catalogs, magazines, recipes, cookbooks and books!! My Grandmother was very influential in my life. Minnie Ruth F. Queen, a very wise woman that had a strong faith in God, and the backbone of our family. She was a woman that read everything she could get her hands on. She loved to cook and try new recipes. Even though her family was one picky bunch. She loved to travel, but never had the chance to travel abroad. My Grandmother was a LPN and supported me through out my college endeavors to become a RN.
     I believe my Love for catalogs and all reading materials began with a copy of 1900's Sears and Roebuck. As a little girl, Gran and I would sit at the kitchen table and pour through that book. We would laugh and discuss the fashions of the time, ooh and awwh at the furniture and kitchen ware. Spin a fantasy of how we would decorate our home with the furnishings.
    I miss my Grandma! She passed away 13 years ago in January, of a stroke. Things happen daily and I think I need to talk with Gran. Grief washes over me anew.

New Year, New Resolutions, Back To The Schedule

 January 8, 2013
Today, the girls go back to school. They have not attended school since December 20, 2012. And they are not morning people!! So in a few short minutes, I will have the house to myself, and Buddy, of course.

I was/am a goal oriented person, though I never really made New Year's Resolutions per say. I was reading #Pioneer Woman/Ree Drummond's blog the other day and started thinking of what I would like to accomplish for 2013.
1) Make sure that God is first in myself, my marriage and my children.
2) Read the whole Bible in a year, not just parts of it. (Jimmy and I are reading together, The One Year Chronological Bible together)
3) Make sure that my Hubby and girls know that I love them to the moon and beyond!!
4) Count my blessings....Reread One Thousand Gifts......
5) Began "CLEAN" eating
6) Be more consistent with my exercise...running and weights
7) Learn to be a better cook, meal planner....
8) Become Debt free, well at least all but the mortgage.
9) Save more money
10)FINISH my MANY PROJECTS that I have floating around.....
11) Declutter... Vague I know, but I need to... Downstairs closet, shelves, kitchen cubbards, Master closet, kid's closet...Really, they don't wear half what they have!!

So here's to another Blessed Year!! Thank You God!!

Honey Roasted Pears; a delicious treat!

   The very first recipe of 2013 is..... Honey Roasted Pears.

3 Pears
3/4c Honey
Cinnamon
1/2c Walnuts
I used three Anjou Pears, halved and cored. Placed them on a baking pan. Preheated the oven to 425*. Dusted them with Cinnamon. Baked them for 20 minutes. Filled the cores with walnuts. Drizzled the honey across the pears. Placed them back in the oven for 5 minutes.

They tasted very good. I was happy with the results. I had seen a recipe earlier, but could not find it, so I concocted my own version. And I forgot to take a picture.... : (

Thanksgiving, A New Year 2013

   Party like it's 2013, O' wait, it is! I worked New Years Eve and so after four days of work, I was absolutely bushed! I slept the new year in. I have been off since and haven't accomplished much, except a few runs. January 2, Jimmy and I did a 6 mile run at Melton Lake Park. It was so cold. I however, prefer to run outside. I just can't stomach the treadmill much.
  Today feels like a Harry Potter kind of day. So the 1st movie is in. It is 39* outside and seems like about that inside! Minnie has made her some hot chocolate, while Chey is spending the day in her room after being dishonest.
   I have been very slack at  "blogging", and besides, my husband I'm not sure anyone out in cyberspace read my words. I live a pretty tame life, that most would think as boring, repetitive. It is a good life that I live. I am blessed by The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Jimmy tells me to be raw, however, I want this blog to be positive and inspiring. Raw, to me would be all the nitty gritty let out. Mind you, I am human and erred as well with mistakes and regrets a plenty. I have a God given grace and redemption.

" Now it is a strange thing, but things are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to, while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway" JRR Tolkien

  In this month of October, our family took fall vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC. We enjoyed 6 days of surf, sand, family time and an abundance of different personalities.(10/13-19/2012) The fact, that all 6 of us were together, is in itself AMAZING!! I am so glad that we had the time. Ashley joined us on Tuesday, after her semester finals. (I am so proud of her) Zeke and the girls are growing up so fast. It is unbelievable how fast.
  The last couple of months, I have read several books. A couple of the books were suggested by the Chic Chat Book Club, that I follow on face book. The titles are: Unglued; Made to Crave; One Thousand Gifts.  Each one of these books have a major message that speaks to the core of this woman, wishing and striving for a personal relationship with her Kingly Father. I adopted a prayer from one of the authors: "I need wisdom to make wise choices. I need insight to remember the words I have read in Scripture. I need power beyond what I can find on my own. Help me to grow closer to you by making godly choices and seeing how you provide the power to live by the Spirit."
  In the upcoming event of  "The Hobbit" movie, I read the book by J.R.R. Tolkien. I really really can not wait!!! I absolutely love " The Lord of The Rings" trilogy. This past Sunday was so cold, Jimmy and I vegged on the couch and watched the first movie.
  I have tried to teach myself to knit, occasionally over the last couple of years or ten. I recently heard the calling again, so I picked the needles up and chose a vintage pattern Crescendo Shawl (www.freevintageknitting.com) to start. After several failed attempt, I now have 21 rows done. It needs to be 66 inches long. I never chose easy. This pattern incorporates cable type stitches which I have never done. So far so good, I think. I don't think my stitches are too far off. I do believe I have chosen the wrong type of yarn for this pattern though. I have only ever attempted straight knit-purl scarves (x4).

Entering August....

So we once again find ourselves in August, and I haven't blogged anything since, what, April- I think. Yesterday, August 5, was my Honey's birthday.  I didn't prepare as well this year for his birthday. He is a hard man to buy for... He is hard to fit with shoes and clothes. Diffidently has to pick that out himself. The things I'd really like to splurge on for him is costly so that kinda doesn't happen often. We did go out to eat at our favorite restaurant- Carrabba's!!  The girls got him a CD of Mercy Me and I got his cologne.....and our time together.......He's wonderful!!
  We visited Jim's mom and step dad at the end of July in Indiana. Zeke went with us, and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit and Geri's cooking. Geri is such a wonderful woman!!
 My girls are home from the summer with their father. School starts in 2 days. Chey is a FRESHMAN- can we say Oh My Goodness.....and Boo is in 7th grade. So both at different schools again. Ash turned 19 this summer.  And poor poor Zeke, had to have an appendectomy as well as have his wisdom teeth pulled under anesthesia. He's had a heck of a summer.

  While they have been away I have managed to tackle a few projects around here; hung curtain rods in front room, painted the dining room and porch posts, cut all the pieces for Chey's quilt and a few other things.....But not enough...Poor time management, actually. Well, another project for me to work on.......
 I will sign off for now, that is enough of an update.

I have spent April 2-4, recuperating from my half marathon on Sunday and then it was time to go back to work. My husband and I run Covenant Healths Marathon every year or try too. Our runs have been between 5k and the full marathon.  We missed the first year, but ran the second. I did the 5k and Jimmy ran the 1/2 Marathon. I missed out on last year's run due to a hamstring injury. It is awesome running across the 50 yard line in Neyland Stadium.  I am quite proud of my time after poor training and the hamstring injury. It was 2 hrs 22 min and 13 sec. I will take it.
 So the marathon is done and over with. I am still struggling with my eating habits, still trying to balance my workout regimens, my family, work, and self-time. Not to mention household stuff.... I have so many projects started and unfinished. I have very romantic ideas of being a DIY'er and yet a huge trait of procrastination!   Menu planning, another project.So I have picked out some recipes in the cookbook- for menu plans- but the hitch is; purchasing the ingredients and actually cooking.
Even though I regularly exercise: ie; running, beginning  bicycling and P90X'ing. It isn't consistent. Most of the time, I feel like I am burning a candle at both ends. Since the marathon is done, Jimmy wants to do P90X again. The problem is neither of us has figured out the diet to go with it. So that it is truly effective. Plus with the intense 3 month program, throwing a full scale running program on top of that ='s burn I'm afraid.
 Plus, I really need to do something to improve my marketability in Nursing. I love ER nursing, I think it is my niche. What to do, what to do.............