A Life Without Limits

Can you imagine it?
I can't.
I just received my first book to read and review for Blogging for Books. It's called "Life Without Limits" by Nick Vujucic

I really like the quote on the back of the book.







I do believe my life has no limits.
I want you to feel the same way about your life,
no matter what your challenges may be.
As we begin our journey together, please take a moment to think about any limitations you've placed on your life
or that you've allowed others to place on it.
Now think about what it would be like to be free of those limitations.
What would you life be if anything were possible?

It's that last sentence that already has me pulled in. Didn't our parents tell us growing up that we could be anything we wanted to be? Didn't they tell us anything is possible?
When did we stop believing them?
Why did we stop believing them?

Why don't I believe that any longer?

Looking forward to digging into this book tonight.

Sharp Shooter

I had so much fun!
I'm really tired and I have a splitting headache and a terrible ring in my ear.
So, I'm not going to write much tonight.
I will share some photos.
Check me out! This is my first first time ever handling or shooting a gun.

Look closely.
That's a center-mass baby!

Nothing Special

Nothing special happening the past few days.
However, I'm super excited about two things today

First, I got my new glasses today. Check em out

Groovy right? I LOVE them.

I'm a little unsure about the prescription. My prescription changed so much. The guy at the store said I should give it a day or two for my eyes to adjust to the new prescription.

The second thing I'm excited about today is that tonight I am doing Part-II of my NRA hand gun basics training tonight. I'm going to the range for 1 hour with the instructor and will get to shoot my first pistol. I'm super excited.

I'll have pics and much to blog about once that experience is done tonight. So, come back later tonight or tomorrow for the update on that. Until then,

Day 5 - Cycle 1

Yesterday was actually Day #5.

Not much to report on from the weekend. Except...

It was really hard to resist snacking and cheating in general but I managed to make it through the weekend. It was hardest Saturday night. Friday I had dinner out with The Shooting Divas of DMV. I stuck to chicken and veg at the restaurant and was stuffed when I got home so no temptation then.

Saturday was filled with running around, drinking tea and reading a book at Starbucks and Caribou and a light dinner.

Then Saturday night came along. No matter what I end up doing I always end up wanting ice cream at the end of the day or evening. My only consolation was that I didn't need to go to the store for anything special. I really wanted my car to go that way. I wanted to go right instead of left at the intersection. I just kept praying for strength and kept making the correct turns. The fact that I had no reason to go back out and no reason to be in the grocery store or mini mart helped loads. I've been known to get dressed specifically for ice cream runs under the guise of going for dog food or some other item.

So hurray for making it through the first weekend. Hurray for making it through another day.

iPad went on sale this past Friday. I managed to avoid the lines of people and avoid that purchase over the weekend but I'm done waiting. Looking forward to picking up the new toy today or tomorrow. Whee!!!

Crafty Goodness

I thought I would share some really awesome things that I found on a blog site today.

Inger Carina from Sweden has a really cool blog titled Hello Craft Lovers

She's very talented.
Take a look at some of the things she has created.

Yep, that's an iPad cozy. Using crochet stitch and starch.
She explains how she does it here.

There's no tutorial but these are so excellent. I just have to share.

A USB cover -- How cool is that!

Day 2 - Cycle 1

I feel sick.
I had some temptation yesterday when I went to the grocery store. Really wanted to buy a bag of veggie chips. I didn't.

I prayed for strength.
I persevered.

Today I feel sick. On/off today I've felt nauseous. I felt really sick at the end of the day.

My menu yesterday:
breakfast
nonfat icelandic skyrs yogurt
1 pear
1 cup green tea (blah)

Lunch
broccoli cauliflower mix with little butter spray and spices
mixed green salad (spinach and dark leafy lettuces) w/ tuna grape tomatoes, broccoli slaw and low-fat dressing.
1 cup green tea

Dinner
brussel sprouts with butter spray and spices - over nuked them. Not very good so I served them to the dogs. :-)
Trader Joe's turkey meatballs - These tasted great but are really high in fat. Oops.

Lots and lots of water

My menu today:
breakfast
nonfat icelandic skyrs yogurt
1 pear
1 cup green tea (blah)

Lunch
brocolli cauliflower mix
Trade Joe's Tuna in Green Chile sauce
1 cup green tea

Dinner
1 dinner roll
mixed green salad

My stomach felt MUCH better after dinner tonight. I really want to say that the roll contributed to this. I don't know what I'll do about this in the days to come. I understand why he is having us cut out bread/carbs but I may allow myself a roll to eat at dinner or lunch.

Green tea is so blah. Ugh. I bought some lemon Green Tea at the grocery store on the way home. I hope it's better than regular green tea. Green tea doesn't taste bad. It just kind of tastes like dull water. Plain water tastes better than green tea to me.

Day 1 - What are you eating?

What are you eating today? Are you eating food that will fire up your body?

I am. Here is the meal plan for the next 17 days

breakfast
2 eggs OR 1 serving of yogurt (or other probiotic)
1 small low sugar fruit
1 cup green tea

Lunch
Liberal amounts of protein - fish, poultry or egg (preferably egg whites)
Unlimited amounts of cleansing vegetables
1 Cup green tea

Dinner
Liberal amounts of protein - fish, poultry or egg (preferably egg whites)
Unlimited amounts of cleansing vegetables
1 Cup green tea

Snacks (any time of the day)
2nd fruit serving
2nd probiotic

Man that's a lot of green tea.
I still have to drink 8 glasses of water a day too.

In The Beginning

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

A bizillion years later he created me.

He knew I'd screw up. He knew I'd end up here. He knew I wouldn't listen.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
Jeremiah 1:5


I don't know if I'll post every day,
but I will be posting frequently about this over the next 17 days.

40 Days of Lent

What does the Bible say about Lent? Nothing as far as I am aware. Lent is something that the church – the Catholic Church I believe – initiated. If you do a search on the Internet you’ll find sites that tell you it is ordained by God and you’ll find sites that state that it is not ordained by God and therefore actually anti-Biblical. Here’s what I know about Lent.Lent lasts for 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday.

The word or number 40 is in the Bible 102 times. 102 times God had done some very ordinary and some very significant things with the number 40

• It rained for 40 days and nights and the earth was flooded and destroyed (Gen Ch 7)
  
• The flood continued to build and flooded the world for 40 days (Gen Ch 7)
  
• Noah waited 40 days before sending out the first raven in search of land. (Gen Ch 7)
  
• Abraham pleaded with God from 50-45-40-35 … and so on to spare Sodom (Gen Ch 18)
  
• Isaac was 40 when he married Rebekah (Gen. 25:20) – they became the parents of Jacob and Esau
  
• It took 40 days to embalm a body (Gen 50:3)
  
• Moses was 40 when he killed the Egyptian (Ex 2, Act 7:23-24))
  
• Moses stayed on the mountain with God for 40 days and came back down with the Ten Commandments (Ex. Ch 34)
  
• Moses and his people wandered the dessert for 40 years “until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone” (Numbers 32)
  
• Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights – during this period he was tempted by Satan (Matthew Ch 4, Mark Ch 1, Luke Ch 4)
  
• Paul received 40 lashes minus one (2 Cor 11)
  

I’m not a Biblical scholar or expert so I won’t continue on. I found a site that lists some of the more well known 40-day events Of course, the number "40" has always had special spiritual significance regarding preparation. On Mount Sinai, preparing to receive the Ten Commandments, "Moses stayed there with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights, without eating any food or drinking any water" (Ex 34:28). Elijah walked "40 days and 40 nights" to the mountain of the Lord, Mount Horeb (another name for Sinai) (I Kgs 19:8). Most importantly, Jesus fasted and prayed for "40 days and 40 nights" in the desert before He began His public ministry (Mt 4:2).


So, as I stated briefly above, I know of Lent as a Catholic thing. I’m not Catholic so what do I know and why do I do it? Well, I went to this non-denominational church as a kid. They did a lot of Catholic traditions. It was like Catholic-lite. Plus I lived in a neighborhood where we were surrounded by Catholics. So, when everyone else was giving something up I figured I might as well too. Now, I do it because as an adult I can choose to focus on God. I can spend 40 days focusing on him and his awesomeness because I choose to. I could choose any 40 day period I suppose but I choose this 40 day period.

People fast. They give up food, drink, smoking, candy, starches, meat, etc. What am I doing? I’m doing 2 things.

First -- I am following a specific diet plan for the next 40 days. I will be following the 17 Day Diet. This diet works in phases – 17 days at a time. The first phase begins tomorrow officially. The plan includes diet and exercise guides so I’ll be doing both starting tomorrow.

Second – I will be spending an hour a day in Bible Study. I desire to do this anyway but just don’t. So I am committing to studying 1 hour each day. I have 2 study books to choose from – Esther (my personal hero) or my One Little Word – Trust.

More New Coasters

Sorry, ladies and gents, I don't have my step to step instructions ready yet. I decided to pop out one more coaster idea before it disappears out of my head.

I did the one below in two different colors.

I put the coaster onto the laptop.  Walked away for a sec and when I came back Coco had parked her butt onto the laptop and the coaster.  She had no intention of moving so I had to snap a photo.

So, here are the official photos of the newest coaster creation. I was going to call it a Spring Coaster but if its not made with spring colors the title would be lost on the recipient. So, I'm calling it the "Airey Coaster"

What do you think of the name?  Please post a comment if you have another idea for a name.  I am open to suggestions.

Safety First

Yesterday I did something very cool. I attended my first NRA Basic Handgun Safety class. I recently joined a group called The Shooting Divas. I came across them on the Meetup site. That's a really wonderful site to find people with similar interests, hobbies, etc.

The Shooting Divas is a great bunch of ladies. I've done several social events but this was my first official event with the Divas.

I don't own a hand gun. I've been wanting to purchase a hand gun for several years. I've looked at them several times but never made a purchase.

I really had fun. I got to handle and practice loading several guns. The class includes time at the gun range but I didn't do that.  The wait for the range was 2 hours so I deferred and will be going later this week or next week.

So, that was my excitement this weekend.  Will definitely post again once I've gone to the range.  That'll be loads of fun.

This is the variety of guns at the class. Some belonged to the instructor and some belonged to students.

My latest creation

I've had these ideas for coasters or pot holders rolling around in my head. It has actually taken me two weeks to create the items below. I frogged them several times.

The pictures below are not great. I will take better photos of the finished product later on.

They still are not what I wanted to create but I am really pleased. I will be posting instructions and step-by-step photos soon.

The Grace Card - A Review

If you have an opportunity to see this movie while it’s in the theaters, you should.

I saw this movie Friday evening with a friend of mine from church “P”.
We met for dinner first at Ruby Tuesday where we both had probably the worst burger of our lives. How can you mess up a cheeseburger?

I want to say it’s a Christian film but I don’t think that’s accurate description. It’s a good film about a Christian man and a non-Christian man struggling with life struggles. It’s really just a feel-good movie with a really awesome message.

God’s Grace can save you. That’s the overall message they want to send you away with and they do a very good job at it.

I have only 2 complaints. There are two plot lines in the movie that don’t come to fruition in the end. I wish they had. There's also a moment in the movie when two families are brought together and I think they dropped the ball a bit on how they played it out on the screen.

The second complaint - since it’s not a high profile film they didn’t have the budget to spend on special effects and camera work. Every once in a while there’s something odd about the camera work/movement that made me a little dizzy or motion sick. Only for a moment. I’d blink or look down for a sec and it would go away.

Honestly, I don’t think it will be in theaters for very long but if you have an opportunity you really should go. If you miss it in the theater then add it to your Netflix list and see it with your family in friends at home. It really is a good movie.



I promise to pray for you every day
ask your forgiveness
grant you the same
and
be your friend
always!



For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God
- Ephesians 2:8 -

Little Boxes

My posts won't all be like this, but I decided (without sharing with you all) that I would be entering contests this week. I see so many giveaways on blogs and the internet that involve re-blogging. I don't want to bog you down with dozens of contests just from me so I decided I would do a bunch this week and then may be I'll start picking a day and make it contest day.

So, today's contest giveaway is by Coffee-n-crochet. She is giving away a super lovely sewing box.

She has 100 followers and is celebrating by sharing this gift with the winner.

If you think it's lovely, just click on the photo above, follow her rules (there's only 2) and enter her contest.

Why I Love Dr. Seuss

Today (March 2) is Dr. Seuss's birthday. I love Dr. Seuss so much. I have several Dr. Seuss audio books that I keep queued on my iPhone so that I can pull it up and listen to it at any time. They still make me smile and they make me laugh. I still have my original collection of Dr. Seuss books sitting on my shelf.

I have such fond memories of reading his books. My mom and dad used to read to me before I went to bed. I remember when I was little (pre-first grade) that I would constantly ask my mom or dad to read either a Dr. Seuss book or one of the many Barenstein Bears books that I had. At the time, I don't think I knew what it was about them that I loved - other than the funny littly stories themselves. There are articles on the Internet about how his books provided great moral lessons for children. I don't recall really learning anything. Although I'm sure I did glean the value of fun, sharing and caring from his books as much as I did from Mr. Rogers.

That's what makes writers like Dr. Seuss so fantastic. They made reading and learning fun. I'm sure I learned something but I had no idea I was learning anything at all. Did he know that's what he was doing? I suppose he did. For me it was all about the story and the time.

Oh, the time.

That's what I loved. I loved that time before I went to bed when my parents would read to me. I have such great memories of my dad (mostly) reading to me from any book I would choose. Some nights I had so much reading with him that I would ask him to read 2 or 3 books.

I think I loved it because the simple language made it easy to read along. Once I started to learn to read I would read along with my dad. Once I learned how to read, instead of mom or dad reading to me before bed, I would read to them.


You see, as far as I'm concerned,
Dr. Seuss taught me to read.

Dr. Seuss is the reason that, even today, I love to read. Once I learned there was just no stopping me. I moved on from have mom or dad read me small rhyming books to big books and tales like Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh. I couldn't wait to go to bed to see what would happen in these books each night.

As I got older, my love of reading grew. I seem to have less time now for leisurely reading but I still love curling up with a good book and seeing what tonight's tale will be.








"Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all."





Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss
and
Thank You

Blog it Forward

I am blogging forward today in hopes of winning a prize. I am following two really cool sites.

The first is Sweep Tight - She (I think) posts all sorts of contest and giveaway goodness on her site.




The second is Just Married with Coupons - I'm a new follower here but I think the name is pretty self explanatory. I'm not married, but I found several coupons on her site that I intend to take advantage of. Looking forward to more of what they have to offer.

Knit & Crochet Scholarship

I just saw posted on the Red Heart blog that they are teaming up with Jimmy Beans Wool for a $3000 merit scholarship.

When I was a senior, I applied for every single scholarship that I could find. Even pretended to like things so that I could write essays about "why I like _______." I knew every penny mattered when it came to going to college. If I didn't have scholarships or grants, it wasn't going to happen.

Now I've never heard of a scholarship based on knitting and crocheting, but if you're in high school and planning on going to college in Fall 2011, check out this scholarship. The qualifications look pretty straightforward.