Challenge, take 3

I kind of can't handle that we are only three days away from Christmas!

So much to get done a home, at work, at LIFE...

In honor of being BUSY, let's take 2 seconds and reflect, shall we?

Ps: This was really yesterday. BUtttttt anywayyyyy....

My Mind: Started reading again. Woah, right?! I know...cause I have all this FREE TIME (with a busy almost 11 month old) and all. But seriously...I am picking up a book (a pg-13 book) and am reading it. What book you ask? Well because the Twilight series consumes my dreams at night, I thought I would give the Hunger Games series a shot.

New bet-you-didn't-know-about-me-fact - 1. I love e-books on my iPhone. 2. Other than The Conservative's Handbook and Decision Points by George W. Bush, my go to books are naughty romance novels. I am also not afraid to admit - the naughtier the better. 

So while Nick lays next to me at night You Tubing videos and learning how to be a master plummer and electrician I am reading naughty romance novels. It really is a sight to see.

Not anymore though....cause Hunger Games here I come.

My Body: I met my love of a friend, Kelly Haas, at the gym bright and early (6am) for a work-out sesh. A little cardio via my friend, the elliptical and a brief weight circuit. I am getting pretty darn sick of the remaining 10lbs I need to lose to get back to pre-pregnancy. I totally get it - my fault. I love food. Love oreos and cheese. And bread. And candy.

It is up to me, to lose that pesky 10lbs. I can totally do it (I did the fat flush (which ps = HARD) in early July and lost 7lbs in 7days) but I have to decide and I think it is time. 

My Spirit: Facebook is a strange thing. Without it I would be totally disconnected from many people I am so happy to have re-connected to. Facebook makes it easy for me to keep in touch and for my friends and family to watch Cruz grow up. 

The other day a friend of mine "liked" a status update from Jim Putman - the Sr. Pastor of Post Falls Real Life. 

Side note: when my parents decided it was time for us to leave our childhood church of near 20 years Post Falls Real Life became our new church home. We attended PFRL until Valley Real Life was born and even spent a few years going back and forth for the sole fact that Jim Putman is incredible. He is passionate, real, in-your-face-honest and so loving. I can tell you that I have never cried or fist pumped as much as I did listening to Jim. Still to this day the heaven and hell series Jim preached a few years ago is one of the most memorable, most moving, most crazy amazing series I have EVER heard EVERRRR and I have been going to church since I was born. 

Anyway - Jim posts different things every day. All inspirational. All gut-checks, All truth and simply encouraging. 

While I may not attend Post Falls Real Life (we go to Valley Real Life), Jim still impacts my spirit....and crazy enough....through Facebook.

Thank you Courtni for your direct hand in bringing me back. :)

My Relationships: Over the past few months my bible study or the Dream Table as we are referred to has been doing a study from the book, Finding the Hero in your Husband by Dr. Julianna Slattery. It is a book about submission - by submitting God's way it allows your husband to assume his rightful place in the home. As the leader. As scary as submission sound to most people, this book isn't at all in-your-face. It has been amazing to go through and to be reminded that I - as Nick's wife - have the responsibility to respect, support and encourage my husband in his role - as the leader of our family. 

I am telling you - this group - has allowed me to have conversations with my husband that I would have never had without them. Conversations about fear, worry, doubt, children, future...most nights after group I come home sobbing, professing my utter sorry-ness about how sucky a wife I have been. Nick is so sweet and usually laughs but God has a purpose for me as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. I only want to be the type of wife that Nick is proud of. A friend people want to have and someone people look at and say - there is something different about her. 

I am thankful to my Dream Table for staying true to the rules and for inspiring me daily to be better. 

My Creativity and Passion: One of my many passions is giving gifts. I love it. Nothing makes me happier than getting someone the most perfect gift (most of the time, just because) and watching them open and hopefully...love it! 

Now that it is Christmas - the ultimate gift giving time of year - I am over the moon excited for both Cruz and Nick to open their gifts. Cruz - well because it is his first time and Nick - well because I did great this year. He might fall over and die when he opens his gift. 

Yesterday, I finished Christmas. Got everything. Wrapped everything.

Now for the fun part....