Am I Ready?

How do you know when you're ready to have a baby?

No, seriously. I'm really asking you.

Cause I'm at my wits end. With the passing of my 31st birthday on May 1st, I'm realizing that I'm not getting any younger. The motherhood years are passing me by- quickly. {Where did last year go?!}

I know it's in for Hollywood stars to have babies in their mid-forties, but I'm a bit scared of doing that.
I know it's in to put off motherhood, but what if I wait too long?
I know I can always adopt (and would seriously think about it), but what if I want a little Southern Hubby running around?

With all these thoughts running around in my head, I still can't put off that nagging feeling that I'm not ready to let go of this life yet. I'm not ready to share my life with someone else besides my husband. I'm not ready to give up sleep. I'm not ready to rearrange my entire life. I'm not ready. And that thought overrides all the oohs and ahhs I give at baby showers, and the little soft feeling I get in the middle of my stomach when I see a mother coddling her newborn.

For now.

So, now I ask you- When did you know you were ready?

The past couple weeks in a few pictures.

Geez Louise, it's been a while, huh?

I think I've lost my blogging mojo. What more do I have to talk about?

I suppose I could show you the cute carrying case I made for my 'teeth' as I like to call them. (I have Invisalign and I have to take the trays out and brush them after I eat- hence me carrying around a toothbrush and toothpaste everywhere. Let me assure you it's a super pain.)

Or I could tell you about the glorious way God told me "good morning!" the other day.

Or maybe you'd like to hear about the freaking delicious shrimp and pasta recipe I made last night? Thank you, Pioneer Woman. Thank you. It was ridiculous. Decadent and not good for my jean size, but ridiculous. :)

Oh! Oh! I forgot I wanted to tell you about the new caffeine free green tea I've been drinking! {{I've been reading Skinny Bitch (and you should, too)  and it mentions how horrible caffeine is, so I'm trying to give up my coffee. So hard.}} But I mix it with a couple drops of stevia and some almond milk and I'm good to go. (Many thanks to Sara for showing me the tea light. hee hee)

And when I show you this beautiful picture, please remember I drank these before I read Skinny Bitch. Yea, sugar is the devil. But these mangoritas are heaven.

I think next time we chat, I'll show you the prayer journal I've been working on. But I'll save that for our next convo. Besos to you all. xo

I made an oopsie!

I've got to apologize for the last post. I'm going to eat my words on this one. Even though it was meant to be sarcastic and funny, it was also judgmental, and that is not a kind of person I want to be. One comment in particular made me think. I don't know who "Jessica" is, but she hit the nail on the head.

"How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?"  -Matthew 7:4

I do drive a big honkin' Texas sized SUV. And its gas mileage is nothing to brag about, believe me. So, I'm going to eat some humble pie on this one and use it as a lesson that NO ONE is perfectly "green" expect for the man who created our earth. 

We all try to do what we can to make changes. And hopefully we all try to continue to add to those changes and do more. Next time, I will do my informing and leave the judging to the man upstairs  ;) And I promise to work on my eye-rolling. But that's the best you're gonna get out of me today. I just changed my trays on my Invisalign (the equivalent of getting your braces tightened) and my poor teeth are killing me! :((( Boo!

xxoo

I will judge you.

I've got to get this off my chest:

If I see you with a plastic bottle of water, I will judge you. I'm sorry in advance. I don't mean it, really, I don't, but the sensible ecological loving girl in me takes over. (And she's quite erratic!)

And then I start thinking about how you've been duped because bottled water is upward of 500 times more expensive than tap water, but just as safe and healthy.

And then I start thinking about how 80% of these disposable and plastic bottles end up in landfills. *sigh*

And then I start thinking about how precious little water third-world countries have, and we're bottling it like liquid gold and charging a premium for it.

And then I start thinking about all the oil, plastic, chemicals and other not-so-good things it takes to get that bottle to you.

And I cringe.

And I whine.

And I will probably roll my eyes.

Because I used to be like you. But I finally wised up.

Wise up, peeps! :) Watch this cute movie. And join me and pledge to be bottled water free! Yippee!

PS. It is not my wish to hurt feelings through this post, but simply to educate. At one time, I was a Fuji pounding fool! It took someone telling me how it was to open my eyes and that was my only intention. :)

The New Ride

I wanted to introduce you to my newest love. My new Electra Townie.

::swoon::

Isn't she lovely? (At least, I think she's a she. She's too pretty to be a he, right?)

I was so sad to see my old bike go (we sold it on Craigslist.) And despite her lovliness, I was simply too short for her. I had to hop on it to get on and my feet couldn't reach the floor, which can make for a very dangerous ride. After scanning Craigslist for a couple months and never seeing one I wanted, Southern Hubby decided we should do it right and find one that fit me. (Come to find out it's pretty impossible to size a bike online.)

I found her at the first bike shop we went to. After a bunch of test drives and not finding one I liked we were about to give up. Then the salesman saw her, almost hidden amongst the masses. I took one look and fell madly in love. And her ride was amazing. She fit! We fit beautifully!

Thus, she was mine. :) I love her. I love her.

I want to ride her every. single. day. :)

I'm obsessed with bike culture now. I want to ride her everywhere. Sadly, our little slice of suburbian heaven is horribly lacking in bike-friendliness. :( If you want to share in my obsession, I beg of you to take a peek at these lovelies:

Oh, orange crush!
This shot has beautiful depth.
I love robin's egg blue!
This beautiful shot makes me want to hire a pro to photograph mine! ;)

Wheeeeee!

I'm so in love with this time of year right now. The spring weather is finally starting to cooperate with our bike rides and picnic dinners and we're loving it!

But besides the spring time, I'm really looking forward to the Lenten season. As a Catholic, I choose to give up something that I love in the days leading up to Easter in the hopes that I turn to God when self-denial gets hard. I also hope to use this time as a chance to show God how important I view His "sacrifice" of his Son.

For the past week or so, I've been seriously praying and contemplating over what I want to get out of the next 40 days and what I'm wanting to sacrifice in order to get closer to God. I've decided to:

• give up one hour of sleep in the morning to pray, meditate and complete a devotion
• incorporate the color purple throughout the house using candles and flowers to remind me of the season we're in
• read only spiritually based books during this time, focusing on the saints I admire

Do you celebrate Lent? If so, what are you giving up?

Yay for March.

 

Happy March 1st! I'm excited for this month. Lots to look forward to and celebrate.

Our 6th wedding anniversary is on the 12th. Spring break! Lent is right around the corner. What to sacrifice? Still on the hunt for our anniversary trip destination. We're thinking Costa Rica. And St. Patty's Day is always so much fun!

What do you have going this month?

I have a problem.

I think I *might* have a slight obsession problem with the color pink. Tell me I'm not the only one.

From the top: my cell phone, my agenda, my Kindle, my Bible, my journal.

Oh, and half of these are monogrammed/initialed. If there was an option for it, I did it.

I think I need help.

Are you 'Poo Free?

I just came across an article the other day about going 'poo free- "shampoo" free, that is. (You didn't think I'd talk about real poo, did you?)

At first glance, a small shiver went down my back. I have a very low tolerance for other people's hair, especially if it's super oily. To me, oily = stinky and gross and I don't want it anywhere near me. I could never be a hair stylist, so bless you to all those who can tolerate other people's hair, cause someone has to do it. I have a weird aversion to feet too, but that's another post another time.

Basically, the theory behind going shampoo free is to save your hair from the harsh cleaning agent that it really is. There are plenty of unpronounceable chemicals in your shampoo that aren't good for you, especially when they run down your skin. And we all know that skin is the largest organ we have. I never thought about what is seeping into my skin. Most shampoos will also contain mineral oil, which (I didn't know until recently) is a byproduct produced when gasoline is distilled from crude oil. Ummm, yuck.

So what can you use?

After reading on it just a bit, I found that the most natural, cost effective, and eco-friendly way to clean your hair is to use what most of you probably have in your cupboards- baking soda. Apparently, it's wonderful for your hair, cleans it and leaves it fresh and naturally shiny. I've also read that if your hair is super fine, you can also just rinse it with water. I have thick, curly/wavy hair that is prone to oil at the roots and dryness at the tips, so I won't be going that route.

But what if you're a conditioner addict like me?

The eco-hippies have you covered for that one too! (I heart you, eco-hippies!) ;) A quick apple cider vinegar rinse is said to detangle the hair follicles, balance the pH of your hair and seal the cuticles. When mixed with water, the mildly acidic vinegar helps counteract the baking soda.

I'm still not 100% sure. I'm sure it's all well and good, but I'm seriously a foam and lather addict. If I don't get that foamy feel, I don't feel my hair is clean. I'll suds up again, apparently, stripping more oils from my scalp, which cause me to use more conditioner, which makes my hair more oily. And the wretched cycle continues.

So, I think I'm going to give a shot. Not just yet, I want to read up a little more on it. But, what's the harm in trying for a week or two? Anyone out there have any experiences they'd like to share in going 'poo free?
I'll let you know how it goes either way! 

For more information on going shampoo free, visit:

Natural Forces
5 Minutes for Going Green

Being Authentic. Really?

The word 'authenticity' has been floating around a ton lately. I read about it on all the blogs I frequent. But what does that mean anyway? What is being authentic? I will be the first to admit I have no earthly idea. Late at night, when I'm trying to sleep, I try to form a list of what it means to me. It never comes.

But I've learned that as I age, actually being authentic comes much more easily. I think I do it without even trying. And I like that.

To me, being authentic means:

• loving that I want to go to church each Sunday, but that I don't always make it.
• recognizing that I am not as meek as God wants me to be.
• getting a big zit on my cheek and reverting back to my 16 year old self-conscious ways
• liking my dogs more than most people
• being OK with the fact that I listen most to the oldies station and don't know the latest Rihanna song
• dancing while I was the dishes
• just realizing that forgiveness is one of the hardest lessons I'll learn

It doesn't mean trying to prove to others that this is me, but just being. Period. Just being. Just living. Just loving. That's all. And knowing that those that truly love you will love you regardless. To me, being authentic is loving yourself, even with the zits, even with the dancing, even with the unhip song repertoire.

Last week at church, we talked about grace. My priest said that grace means that God, "love us anyway." And isn't that what's most important? Despite all the crap we put ourselves through trying to be authentic, God loves us anyway.

What does being authentic mean to you?



PS Don't forget that the $75 gift certificate to St. Bernard Sports ends soon! Enter here.

Thankful for the Messes

This morning, after I sent Southern Hubby off to work, I scanned my kitchen and scowled at the messiness of it all. It soured me to know that my kitchen was a wreck from breakfast and that there were still dishes in the sink left over from last night's dinner and a full dishwasher.

Suddenly (and graciously) I was moved by Him, once again. I looked at my messy stove top and was moved to thankfulness. Thankful for the food we had to prepare that filled our stomachs, thankful for an employed husband to send off to work, thankful for an range to cook on, thankful for another glorious morning seen.

I didn't mind this unsightly cheese crumb. Because it meant that we were both the recipient of God's abundant love and grace.

I'm reminding myself not to focus on the material things of life. When I say, "I'm blessed," I'm not meaning because I have a nice truck in my garage or a roof over my head. It doesn't mean because I have clothes in my closet, or a laptop on which I blog. I'm blessed because I have friends and family, a sweet husband, two sweet dogs. I'm blessed because I have a heart for God and pursue him passionately. I'm blessed because I get to explore this world with an ever expanding heart filled with love for the people all around me.

I'm blessed because I'm starting to become thankful in all of life's messes.

Thankful Living: Week 3

In an effort to become more conscious of all the blessings of my life, I think I'll be joining Peggy, over at The Simple Woman in her Thankful Living series. If you don't know Peggy, she is the brain behind the The Simple Woman's Daybook- a weekly meme that gives you a sneak peek into other women's daily lives. Very interesting reading and pretty fun to fill out, too.

From what I gather, the rules are to list weekly three things you are thankful for. If you'd like to link up, you just list your blog post in her comments section. Pretty simple, right? Here we go...

Three moments from another week passed of thankful living.

Can we ever be thankful enough.

Week-ending Three

I AM THANKFUL FOR...

::a good friend that joined me at my weekly women's bible study::

::inside jokes with friends::

::the rare snowfall we got in Texas that stuck around::

How I spent my NYE

I climbed under a comfy blanket that was a Christmas gift from Southern Hubby and started working on a sock. (He had it embroidered with his pet name for me. We're so corny.)

 By mid afternoon I was flying. 

Yeah, we're rock stars over here.

Getting your wisdom teeth out a week before NYE is absolutely. crazy. I wouldn't recommend it.

That is, unless you want to spend the holidays on the couch.

PS. I'm linking up here, today. :)

To Seek.

Happy New Years, y'all! I hope everyone had a joyous and wonderful celebration welcoming in the next chapter of our lives. Sadly, I spent the night on the couch in a Vicodin coma with my sweet and understanding Southern Hubby. I'm not a pill popper! I had two, count 'em, t-w-o, dry sockets. And those are no fun at all. :( {{Note to self: never ever ever schedule wisdom teeth extraction surgery three days before Christmas.}}

Anyway, after a little thought, I decided that my word for 2011 would be "seek." It just seemed appropriate. There are so many things I want to do in the next 365 days...


Seek... new adventures.
Seek... a deeper relationship with God.
Seek... opportunities for new friendship.
Seek... travel adventures and new cultures.
Seek... a closer bond with my family.
Seek... more time with my aging grandparents.
Seek... to be less selfish and more giving.
Seek... to learn new things.
Seek... to make our new home feel more like 'us'.
Seek.

So many possibilities and things to do and so little time.

Do you have a word of the year? If so, I'd love to hear about it! :) Have a great Tuesday everyone!

PS. I'm linking up with Trendy Treehouse today for Shutterlove Tuesdays! :)

Right now..

... I'm thinking of my "word" for 2011.

... I'm mourning the holiday season and all that goes with it. Extra friendly smiles, the connection that we are all in this together, even the hustle and bustle. It makes me feel the 'aliveness' that I desperately seek come January when it's cold and dark.

... I'm learning the ins and outs of one of my Christmas gifts from my mama and daddy.

... I'm itching to start a new knitting project, but can't decide what to do. Socks, perhaps? lol :)


 

... I'm wondering what I can do liven a boring living room mantle. It just looks so plain now that all the Christmas greenery and pretties were put up. :(

... I'm excited about celebrating my sissy's 29th birthday today! She got some new wheels for Christmas, too! :) Happy Birthday, Sissy- I love you mucho!

... I'm still recovering from my wisdom teeth extraction. All four are gone and my mouth suddenly feels much roomier.

... I'm nursing some hurt pride from an olive branch I extended to a "frenemy" that was undoubtedly ignored. People can argue over the silliest things and despite my absolute stubborness, I'm realizing that life is way too short.

And because life is indeed, too short, I'm getting off the computer to spend time with Southern Hubby.

Have a great night, y'all! And a very Happy New Year!



PS Today I'm linking up to Thrilling Thursday over at Paisley Passions. :)