Family Time

We found out about mid-week that Brent and Cody and Courtney were all heading to Tyler this weekend (how exciting!).  We wished Jane E and her family had been able to join us but between the flu, Les’ travel, and The Lion King at Bass Concert Hall, it wouldn’t have been a good weekend for them.

Everyone arrived in Whitehouse on Friday evening and Jason was officiating basketball in Whitehouse so we were able to enjoy dinner and a late night of visiting and still see some good district basketball.  Jason had a financial seminar all day Friday and Saturday so he missed out on some of the fun, but he really enjoyed the course and learned a lot so it was time well spent.  The boys went to lunch at Cheddar’s on Saturday while the girls enjoyed lunch and shopping at Potpourri House, then we met back up in Whitehouse to watch some Kentucky basketball on TV before heading to Flint to wait for Jason prepare dinner.  On the way to Flint, Poppie bought a new rifle at Gander Mountain.  Of course, he doesn’t look too scary with it (and he has no ammo yet since all the stores are currently out) but he looks like he is proud of it.

The girls played some Uno while we were waiting on the boys to arrive, and then when they got here, a mean game of Sorry! broke out.

Family and dinner time!

The grillmasters!

After worship service at Green Acres and a nice lunch at Jason’s Deli, Jason headed to play golf and the rest of us headed back to the house.  It was a beautiful day so we hung out on the patio, went for a walk, played with Marley, threw the Frisbee, and then the girls played the boys in Bocce ball.

 

Ashley and I were sad to see everyone go.  The good news – Jason and I will be heading to ETBU next Saturday in Marshall so we be seeing Cody and Courtney again in less than a week. 

All Things Possible

“My God is strong and mighty.  My God is able.  My hope is in the Lord for He is able.” – words from the song “All Things Possible” by Mark Schultz.  I was feeling a little down yesterday with a personal situation with one of our children and was starting to feel a little sorry for myself and those words came on the radio in my office.

Then I opened up my “Everyday Comfort, Spiritual Refreshment for Women” book and read these verses…

“Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philipians 4:6-7

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

“I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philipians 4:13

God, thank you for scripture that is as relevant and refreshing today as it was when it was written.  I know we are not alone in this struggle and that we can call and depend on you.

Three Months

It is hard to believe we have been married for 3 months today.  It has gone by so quickly because we have been so incredibly busy with basketball, the holidays, school, sports, work, and just the regular day-to-day activities of life.  This weekend Jason was in Arkadelphia, Arkansas at Ouachita Baptist University to officiate women’s college basketball.  This is the first time I have tagged along for a college game this season, but I had an ulterior motive.  Arkadelphia is only about 35 miles from Hot Springs and I have wanted to visit there for some time.  Even though our time was limited, it was just nice to get away for the weekend since we haven’t had the time or opportunity to do that since the weekend we were married.

When we arrived in Hot Springs we found out there is a racetrack there and it was the second weekend of racing and the town was hopping.  I booked a room at the Embassy Suites and that was a great choice and it was buzzing with activity.  After checking in, freshening up, and decompressing from the game (Jason had to give the OBU coach a technical foul for “going crazy” after a call in the first half), we joined in the Manager’s Reception before taking the shuttle into Downtown Hot Springs for dinner.  We decided on a restaurant and found out it was closed, so we ended up at our second choice, Rolando’s Nuevo Latino Restaurant.  It was delicious – from the friendly service to the margaritas to the chips and guacamole to the main dishes.  We left quite satisfied and took advantage of the unseasonably warm January weather and walked back to the hotel.  I would definitely tag along again if Jason gets another game in that neck of the woods.  What a great weekend getaway!

Real Food Progress

I blogged a couple of weeks ago about my new adventure of getting more “real food” into my diet and making less room for processed food, fast food, and deep fried food.  It hasn’t been easy, but for the most part, I have stuck pretty close to the real food rules.  I would say I am definitely a more informed shopper and spend a lot more time look at ingredients in labels.  I also learned that in order to make healthier, real food decisions, I have to be a better planner.

Here are some things I have found that I wanted to share…

• You can make popcorn in a brown paper bag which is not only healthier, but much less expensive - http://www.squidoo.com/homeade-microwave-popcorn.  I used 1/3 cup of popcorn (I found organic and will buy it next time) and a capful of extra virgin olive oil (which I will also buy organic next time).  I lightly salt it when I take it out of the microwave.  This is one of the only things I have found where I probably save money (since microwave popcorn can be very expensive).
• Drug Emporium has a wonderful selection of organic and natural foods – some of my new favorites are Beanitos (black bean chips which are a great alternative to my much loved tortilla chips – I eat them with Julio’s and don’t feel cheated at all), 100 calorie packs of dry roasted edamame by Seapoint farms, Larabars, Kind Plus bars, and Kettle Bakes (the healthier version of the Kettle potato chips).  Jason has even tried and likes most of these so I am thrilled that he is eating better already.
• Wal-mart actually has some good organic and healthier fare selections, if you don’t mind the location, parking, cashiers, crowds, long lines, etc.  This is a good alternative for shopping when I have lots of patience and time (which is seldom).
• Regular peanut butter is loaded full of sugar, but almond butter that is all natural is a great alternative and wonderful on organic apples or celery.
• You can make whole wheat waffles that are nutritious, taste good and are very filling - http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/07/23/recipe-whole-wheat-waffles/ (Mine didn’t look as good as the ones on Lisa’s blog but they were still tasty and got a thumbs up from Jason too!)
• If you can’t buy everything organic, which I have learned can get real expensive real fast, there is a shopper’s guide to pesticides in produce available called the “Dirty Dozen Plus” – foods that should be bought as organic whenever possible - http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/. 

I will continue to blog about my experience but so far the scale is down, my clothes are fitting better, and I am certainly making better decisions about what I am putting into my body these days.  That is bound to pay off eventually, right?

Basketball Season

One of the many reasons Jason and I moved our wedding up was because of basketball season.  From the beginning of November to about the beginning of March, he is officiating basketball games almost daily.  He officiates high school basketball on Tuesdays and Fridays, sometimes gets picked up for a sub-varsity game on Mondays and/or Thursdays, and typically has college games or tournaments on Saturdays.  The one free night he would potentially have is Wednesdays, but at least every other one of those, he has basketball meetings.  During the holidays there are also tournaments that are thrown in as well, so as you can see, basketball overtakes his life, which also takes him away from home a lot.

I support him 100% in this because he is committed, talented, and simply enjoys it.  It has been fun to watch him mature in the past couple of seasons and become a very respected official.  Not only was he picked up for two different college divisions this season, but he was also selected for a state tournament game for private Texas schools at the end of February/early March. 

Our teachers from Happily Even After take pictures for Brownsboro athletics and were able to catch some great pictures of Jason in action.  Thanks to Andy and Gina Tucker for the photos!

Very proud of you babe!

New Year’s Day Exploring

Jane E took all the pictures during our recent visit to Cedar Park and even did all the blogging, but I remembered that I had my cell phone during our hike on the Twin Creek trails and even took some pictures.  It isn’t much, but I thought the pictures were really good.  It was a cold and damp day but the kids, dogs, and even the grown ups really seemed to enjoy getting out on the trails.  The cave was a real hit, so much so that after a quick lunch, the kids went back to do some more exploring.

Thanks to the Campbell clan for letting us ring in the new year with them! As always, we enjoyed our time but it just wasn’t long enough.

Real Food?

I guess I really have never thought much about what I eat – as long as I am being reasonable with my daily calorie intake.  However, a few months ago, Kit and Betty began the 100 days of real food challenge (http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/) and have been sharing some of that with us.  The more I read, the more intrigued I became about processed foods, and the more I realized how much my diet consists of them, because they are fast and easy and our lives are busy.

So, as part of my weight loss challenge this year to drop 15 pounds and get healthier before May, I am going to give the 100 day challenge my best shot as well.

I have read through the http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/ and have made my first trip to the grocery store where I REALLY read the labels.  Not just calories and fat and carbs and sugars, but looking at ingredients.  Wow – it is amazing what is in some of the things I eat quite regularly.  This is my gig, but once I get the hang of it, I would like to get Jason and Ashley involved as well (I even found a healthy donut recipe!).  The pickier the eater, the harder I would think it is, but I am determined to give it a try and then pass on what I am learning to them.

Hawaii Countdown Continues

In 4 months we will be flying off to beautiful Hawaii to enjoy a belated honeymoon with the Yearty clan.  Being a new year, I have a resolution to drop 15 pounds before the trip and get in really good shape (more on that later).  Of course I want to look good for my hubby and wear some cute tropical clothes, but 10 days in Hawaii will also involve some sight-seeing, which will probably mean lots of walking and hiking.  Also, as part of our Christmas from Kit and Betty, we also received a half-day trip to do some zip-lining and other adventurous activities on the island so I have to build up some arm strength for that as well so I don’t look like a complete wimp.

I am also hoping for lots of rest and relaxation, as well as eating some spectacular seafood.  I will be working hard between now and May to get ready for the trip.  We also received a guide to the island in our stocking from Santa so we also have lots of reading to do as well.  It will be here before we know it!

Happy New Year

2012 was a very blessed year for our family and I am excited about all 2013 has in store for us!  We celebrated the “out with the old and in with the new” in Cedar Park with family this year.  I was terrible and never got my camera out (but still managed to leave it behind), but Jane E did.  She also beat me by blogging before we even left (and again after we left), so I am copying the links to her blog for pictures of our time in Cedar Park.

Cousin Time by Jane Campbell

NYE by Jane Campbell

Jane E and I talked about how the older we get, the faster time seems to fly.  I have to make sure to take time to enjoy the small things each and every day in this upcoming year and I hope it doesn’t go by too quickly.  I love my life and don’t want to it to fly by.