More Daybook Randomness

Outside my window.....

red, yellow, orange, brown...trees slowly undressing for naked winter beauty. Leaves that dance like fairies to the ground. Ground already blanketed in 2 feet of whispering, dancing, autumn life.

I am thinking....

that Mother is able to bring the double Baby Jogger stroller that we left at home with the intention of selling. I did not anticipate there being so very many paths and amazing trails to run or the family walks down forested trails we'd be able to take away from home. Excited that she is not flying but driving instead, that it's only a mere 3 days away until she arrives, that she'll be spending 8 days instead of the 3 originally planned, and she's able to bring stuff with her...like the running stroller!

I am thankful for.....

unexpected gifts and amazing answers to prayers that only the Lord knows we have prayed. The Lord is exceedingly faithful and He is our provider.

I am wearing......

hot date night clothes.

I am hearing.....

"Run" by Sugarland w/ Matt Nathanson. I don't even like Sugarland but I like this song...not to mention that it gets stuck in the head. A whole lot sexy, a whole lot sultry, and a whole lot hot. Not advisable for kids but every marriage needs it. And yep, I do listen to it. Keep it hot. Keep it alive.

I am remembering......

that I am strong in every way. I can do anything I set my mind to. I can run 24 weeks pregnant. I can P90X 24 weeks pregnant. I can stay hot for my husband. I can start a business if I want to because I have the ability to and it's perfectly acceptable to realize that I might actually be really good at something. I can homeschool my children and use all of life as a school book. I can take absolutely every one of my kids in with me wherever I go no matter how many people it pisses off because my children are well behaved, they are kind, they get along, and they are courteous to the strangers that are absolutely put out by the sheer number of them and the fact they even take up space in the world. I can parent these many children well because I have been given the grace and the mercy of a God that continually extends it to me when I mess up every minute of every hour of every day. I am strong. I am here and I can conquer. And when I choose to continually put each step in front of the other and continue running as mind screams to quit I can dig deep and conquer the inner beast of apathy, mediocrity, laziness, and the desire to quit while in pain. And in pushing through when I run I discover I have pushed through in so many more areas of life that extend far beyond the realms of physical body. I have conquered giants in life in those 30 minutes...people, opinions, judgements, areas I wage war with within my head, and so much more. I have conquered self and the gratification that comes from that element in life is great.

I am going.......

to make some more hairbows. I really love creating and making and am a little bit in awe that people want to buy something I love doing. Another post for an upcoming day. There's already been requests for more creations and 8 orders just due to a few pictures I posted on FB and from our girls being out in public wearing them. Pictures will be in an upcoming post on here along with the story of the vision for a little family based home business that is starting to take shape.

I am reading......

the newest craft project I have taken on. I gathered old boards from the deteriorating house at the end of our road and am stenciling in pretty letters what will eventually state...."If you are going to act like a turd go lay in the yard."

I am hoping.....

that the 3/4-1 mile I am running and the other 3 1/4 I am walking 3-4 times a week will pay off both in laboring and birthing a baby and getting my shape back after the fact. And that my muscles will eventually stop screaming from the 200 squats a day that P90X provides.

On my mind.....

"Unless it is mad, passionate, extraordinary love it is a waste of time. There are too many mediocre things in life. Love should not be one of them."

Noticing that.....

drastically cutting back on needless carbs and eliminating all junk food from our diet has resulted in massive amounts of inches lost in my thighs and arms.....think the hips are there to stay til after baby.....and yet baby is experiencing leaps and bounds of growth and can be felt pretty regularly now. Think it's liking the massive amounts of protein being ingested. And in safely cutting back on carbs, per tons of research I have done on low carb pregnancies and a lower carb life, the mild swelling that was already starting has been completely resolved and I feel better than I have in awhile...and my shoes fit comfortably when I run!

Pondering.....

that when autumn consumes the forest and trees grow bare the privacy curtain provided by dense green growth suddenly seems to disappear and the neighbors now all have bird's eye views of anything taking place within the bedroom. Kinda funny and adds an exciting element to life without window coverings. Thankfully, if they've seen anything they haven't said anything. Maybe blinds are in order afterall....or maybe not. Jury's still out on it.

Around the house....

leaves that fall as thick as blankets from the sky. It's a surreal experience to go stand in the yard as they all fall in the windy gusts.

One of my favorite things.....

friends and family that travel over a thousand miles to stay involved in Brad's and my life, and stay in the lives of the children, the people that call, text and stay in touch despite the distance, and for the myriad of new people we have been able to meet in a new place. They surround us, encourage us and have fallen in love with our children in their new land and I am ever grateful for that.

Life in pictures.....

Afternoon hike. And no, babies were not carried the entire way. This place actually had paved trails along with wooded forest trails. We opted for the stroller and paved trails having never been there before. Having seen it now and mapped out some of the others the plan is to put babies in backpacks and take off where the paved trails don't lead.

the birthday girl!


So, the homemade cake we had every intention of making in the end was not made due to the fact that by the time we got home and it was time to stat throwing it together it was already 6 pm. That wasn't really working with bedtime or anything else. We ended up with this nasty thing, which nobody really ate, so the very next night had yet another birthday party with a real cake that actually tasted good! We have had some amazing bakery bought cakes that tasted so good....this was not one of them. She still had a good time! And we all had some more fun the very next night too!