Home Projects (Music Room and Kitchen)

Just a little update on what we were working on the past two weekends.

Project Music Room: Overhaul.

This is what it looked like when we first bought the house... curtains even came with it...

This was an experiment that did not go in our favor. We wanted to try a bright, fun color - but we ended up with a Christmas green! : / We painted this last summer/fall when we painted most of our other rooms and we tried to let it grow on us. But it just didn't. I mean, how could it really? Ick.

We finally decided on a more subdued color and turned our Christmasy green room that was housing our drums and guitars to a more classy music room / office space for Mark.

 (Mark is getting to work from home every other Monday which we love!)

I used my iPhone to take a panorama picture to give you a feel for the whole room. You can see everything but it did turn out a little distorted and blurry :/

 Here are some better pictures!

Mark's diploma on the right and a picture of him playing in Carnagie Hall to the left.

We moved our guitars from either side of the window and hung them on the wall over the drum set. I want to get a piece of art or a saying to go in between the two.

And then a front view of the office space. We got the desk from a family friend that was moving and just spray painted it black... so it wasn't expensive at all which was nice. All its missing is a chair! And a little shelf decor : )

I'm so much happier with this room! I no longer cringe and shut the door quickly when I walk down the hall way.

Project Kitchen: Organization.

Okay, so we didn't do too much to the kitchen. Just a small corner needed to be painted and re-organized. But to fully understand what we did I just needed to bring out a picture of what the kitchen looked like when we first bought the house. See all of the DARK WOOD!?! See the little corner behind where I'm standing in the picture? For some reason *cough* because we're were getting tired of painting and got lazy *cough* we decided to not pain that section when we painted the rest of the cabinets. Well, we painted the top part, but left the bottom desk part all dark wood. We convinced ourselves that we would come back in a few weeks and finish it, along with the cabinets over our washer and dryer. That was about 6 months ago. Since we had all the paint items out for the music room we decided to braved the cabinet painting one more time to finish it all!

Piper had to help me paint of course. : )

Ta-Da! Finally all of the DARK WOOD is out of our kitchen!

No more DARK CABINETS above the washer and dryer either!

Next came cleaning up on the inside...

Thats just a little messy right? It had kind of turned in to our junk area... *hanging head in shame*

But here is the after! All cleaned up and organized. 

I got the binder idea from A Bowl Full of Lemons blog that I pinned here.

It's so energizing to organize and get rid of all the clutter!

Correspondence and the Explicit Gospel

These were the items definitely not on my original agenda tonight.

After a relaxing afternoon at my parents, where I enjoyed some hot tub time with my mom and sisters while watching our puppies play, I found myself home and showered by 5pm with no other chores to do except for making dinner!

As soon as I realized this I felt a warm cozy feeling sweep over me! It made me want to jump into some pajama's, curl up on the couch next to a fire and watch TV.

And I just about did all of those things. After I made dinner (Waffles! I love breakfast for dinner... it definitely went with the whole warm, cozy relaxed theme I had planned for the night) I slipped into some yoga pants while my husband built a fire. Just as I was reaching for the remote I caught a glimpse of a book peeping out from underneath some papers in our book basket. I stared at the book, then stared at the remote, then back at the book. Oh the struggle! Watch mindless TV or read the book I've been meaning to pick up for days???

I set the remote back down.

I also remembered there were a few thank you notes that I needed to get out to people and a letter or two that I had been meaning to write. Suddenly the thought of sitting cuddled up next to my husband  with a fire roaring, some stationary and a good book seemed much more relaxing then noisy, worldly TV shows anyways.

If you haven't read this book, I would pre-recommend it. Meaning, I read the first chapter and LOVED it. I'll let you know my full recommendation when I finish it. (Ps - this is a book off of my 2013 reading list! Yay for getting started on that!)

And if you haven't sat down and penned a hand written note to a friend or family member lately, I would also recommend it. I miss the days of letter writing and getting excited to receive a piece of mail that isn't a bill or advertisement. It's a lost art. I want to and plan to be better at using this form of communication!

And just because she is too cute to keep to myself... My sweet Piper all worn out from playing with her puppy cousins today :)

Well Balanced Wednesdays

Physical Fitness: p90x plyometrics! I did much better this week with that video than I did last week.

Spiritual Fitness: Deborah (Judges 4)

The period of the Judges in Israel's history, 350 years, was incredibly dismal. Israel would conquer an enemy, then wander from the Lord, get themselves in trouble, beg for the Lord's deliverance, God would raise up a leader to deliver them and then the cycle would continue.

This time around God would use Deborah to deliver Israel. I wonder how God initiated that leadership? What was Deborah's response and the peoples response to having a woman as a Judge? She must have been open and receptive to God's words for him to use her. We know she was a married woman which means she still had to tend to her home while being open to the ministry God had called her in to. I wonder how old she was and what stage of her family life she was in...

 The bible says she "held court" under a palm tree in the hill country between two towns. I wonder what this scenario looked like...Was it near the road? were people traveling on their way to and from the towns when they stopped to talk to her? Did she sit there on the grass doing chores such as weaving as she waited for people to come? Did she have a certain day that she always went up there? Did she go specifically to meet people or was it her quiet place that people knew they could always find her?

In Judges 5:7 she says "The peasantry ceased, they ceased in Israel until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a Mother in Israel." Not only was Deborah a Judge and prophetess, but a "mother". This must mean she was filled with care and compassion for Israel. I don't know about you, but if I was Deborah and was constantly being bombarded with the people of Israel and their unfaithfulness I probably wouldn't be able to manage much compassion!

The summary of Deborah's life account is that Israel was about to be attacked by their enemy. The land was dangerous and Israel had no trained armies. Deborah called Barak, the military leader, and told him God had a plan to route their enemy and all Barak needed to do was follow the plan. When she told Barak of the plan he said he would only go if Deborah went with him, she agreed without hesitation. Though there are several details explaining the way the Lord brought Israel to victory once again, and knowing that this is a picture of the power and faithfulness of God not Deborah, there are key things that were pointed out to me reading through the scriptures this time.

Deborah was available to be used be God in a dark time in her country. She was a settler of disputes, a mender of relationships, a wife, and a counselor operating not in her own wisdom but in the attitude of "thus says the Lord." She was faithful in those small situations and God was able to use her epically. She was courageous and did not back down from going into battle. She knew Israel would be victorious but did she know she would be safe? And when the battle had ended, she would have had major bragging rights! I definitely would want an accolade, medal of honor or something! But she returned all the praise to God in her song in Judges 5. Her courage, obedience and humility are examples for me. God didn't need Deborah, and he doesn't need me, but He wants my trust and obedience. If I am faithful in being obedient to his daily calling it can open doors for Him to use me in bigger ways for His glory.

What a standard to live up to. Wife, Instructor, available, Warrior, Faithful, Mother to those who sought her counsel, obedient, courageous, humble.

What an honor to be seen in your community in this way. Not for your own glory but to the Lord's.

Getting back in shape: update

Its been a little over a week since I decided to be a little more disciplined with getting my body back in shape after the holidays.

I did a soda fast for a week and completed the first week of P90X. Results?

0 pounds lost.

Bummer.

But 0 pounds gained. : )

Okay, I can go with that... its a start. I'm not going to be discouraged. I know it takes time to see and feel results so no getting down in the dumps after the first week. It's simply time to keep pressing on.

I did sip 1 or 2 glasses of soda over the weekend to end my fast but its time to keep that sugary stuff out of my diet during the week days.

I started the second week of P90X today and tried to keep my meals on the light and healthy side.

Breakfast? Egg and cheese sandwich on a bagel thin.

Recovery drink after the workout? Organic chocolate milk and of course some water.

Lunch? Strawberry's sprinkled with about 1 tsp of sugar and water.

Planning to do grilled chicken over some whole grain pasta tonight for dinner!

Here's to week 2 of staying healthy and fit!

Sunday Breakfast

The bad thing about having a puppy? She wakes you up between 6:30 and 7 on the weekends.

The good thing about having a puppy? She wakes you up between 6:30 and 7 on the weekends!

I'm so much more productive on Saturday and Sundays now that I have no choice but to wake up and get my day started.

For instance, I even had time to make Mark and I breakfast this morning before we got ready for church. Normally on Sundays we would try to sleep in until the last possible minute... leaving us just enough time to get ready and then out the door. Now that we have little miss Piper we have some breathing room, and I have to say it is much more enjoyable that way. We are less rushed, more relaxed and more focused when we get to church. There are less opportunities for Satan to rear his ugly head and create conflict. Not to mention we actually arrive to church on time!

Today I made one of Mark's favorites so I thought I'd share it on here. It's pretty easy and not real healthy, but its delicious! It's actually something my mom made for my siblings and I growing up that I introduced to Mark when we got married.

What you need: 

Vegetable oil, Frying pan, Pilsbury biscuits (today I used the flaky kind) and a cinnamon/sugar mixture.

What you do:

Poor the oil in the frying pan and heat on medium. To be honest, I never measure the oil and I'm still struggling with the right temperature to heat my oil. This morning I got it way to hot at first. Luckily I tested it with a small piece of dough and realized the outside browned in seconds leaving the inside still doughy and mushy. (yuck). So I had to cool it down a little before I made the donuts, then it got too cool and my first donut tasted a little too saturated with oil. I finally decided to look it up and found a good way to test the heat of your oil is stick the end of a wooden spoon in it. You can tell how hot it is by how fast bubbles form around the end of the spoon. (Cooking with hot oil can very dangerous if you are not careful. If it over heats the oil will "pop" and it will burn if drops of oil land you!)

Take the dough out of the Pilsbury can and find a small round object (lid, end of a baster, etc.) and cut out a small hole in the biscuit.

Place the dough carefully in the oil. You have to keep an eye on it and flip the donuts when you it looks like they begin to brown on the bottom.

They should be a nice golden color when you pull them out.

(Being very careful not to let the oil "pop" you.)

You can also use the cut outs from the donuts to make little donut holes. I probably like the little holes more than the actual donuts! I'm a fan of bite size food. : )

After you pull them out of the oil place them on a plate that is lined with paper towels to soak up the extra oil. While they lay there go ahead and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on there, making sure to get it on both sides.

Finished product:

DIY: Journal Cover

As I was loading all the pictures from over the holidays to my computer from my phone I realized I had taken the following pictures with the intent of posting them and totally forgot about it!

These were one of my favorite DIY projects I did for Christmas presents this year. They turned out really well and were super easy to make! 

If you've ever been to Michaels Craft store you've probably seen all of the Martha Stewart craft section. She has everything from her own paint and paint brushes to scrapbooking and glass etching tools. If there's ever a time when I feel like I can create any craft known to man, its when I'm browsing through the Martha Stewart craft section. The bad news? Most of her items are priced in such a way where it would just be easier and cheaper to buy the crafted item then try to diy. The good news? Michael's has FANTASTIC coupons! 40-50% any regular priced item! 

When I got my coupon before Christmas I marched right into Michaels to get my half priced Martha Stewart silk screens!

I have 2 really good friends that love to Journal, so that is where my inspiration came from.

 I started with two blank journals, I used ones that had a soft flexible cover, but not leather.

I cut out the letters I wanted to use and rearranged them

One letter at a time I dabbed the paint over the letters...making sure to peel the silk screen off before the paint dried...

The first finished journal...

Finished project! 

The silk screens are re-usable so I'm looking forward to getting my next Michael's coupon and building up my Martha Stewart Craft tools! 

Well Balanced Wednesday

Finally back to our Well Balanced Wednesdays!

Erin and I kicked it off with some heavy duty exercise - compared to our usual Pilates inspired routines. We did a p90x cardio video AND took our pups on a walk around the block! Maybe the whole New Years resolution/time to get fit thing made us pump up our usual Wednesday workouts...? :)

Piper got a little tired on her walk, so she was happy to hitch a ride in the stroller for a few minutes to rest her little puppy legs! Her cousin Shelby pup could've handled a few more strolls around the block before her legs got tired!

(Stroller is for the little girl my sister Erin babysits for...)

Unfortunately we were so gung-ho about out exercising that we sort of ran out of time for our bible study... : / Next week. We'll do it next week. But how could we resist the near 70 degree's weather in January??? It was begging us to get outside and take a walk and watch the pups play in the yard.

I am so thankful for Wednesdays...Not many people work full time but still have the chance to get off at 12 (or earlier) in the middle of the week. I love being able to be at home and take care of things here at the house. Cleaning, laundry, cooking a decent meal and having it ready by the time my husband gets home from work, and creating a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere for him when we gets home. Every other day of the week he is home at least 30 min before me and I'm rushing to get a meal on the table as soon as I walk in, not because he pressures me too but because I want to prove that I can handle both of the hats I'm wearing right now... that of the full time working wife and the homemaker. But between you and me, I can't wait till I can take off the working hat and focus fully on my home. 

I know I've been posting a lot of puppy pictures lately, but how can I not share this cute face???

She had to get a bath after her fun day outside. : )

January Goal: Getting back in shape!

Its crazy to think that I ran a marathon 2 months ago! My body certainly doesn't feel like it... I feel as if I could barely run 3 miles right now. How did this happen?!?! Okay...so  I do know how it happened... It might have had something to do with the fact that after the marathon I pretty much took a break from all forms of exercising (maybe ran only 3-4 times???) and on top of not exercising it was the holidays so I ATE... and ate and ate and ate and, well you get the picture.

Its unfortunate how quickly you can lose muscle and gain weight and how long and difficult it is for you to reverse the process...

Now that all of the holidays have passed its time to get back to work. It hurts to say that I weigh the most right now than I ever have in my life. {No fun} And I've noticed quite a bit of my clothes becoming tighter on me. {Again, No fun} When I looked at all of the pictures from Christmas and New years I tried not to cringe at the belly bulge and love handles I noticed on myself.

I'm not trying to be a size 2 or anything. But I do want to get back in shape. I want to get my body to its healthy weight and feel good in my clothes and when I see myself in pictures. So I'm going to try to use my blog as some sort of fitness accountability journal.

I started p90x Friday and did the second video today (plyometrics-I'm a wimp-I'll get better). I know I'm going to be sore tomorrow but it's going to be worth it. Nothing worth having comes easy right?

I also decided to start a week of sort of a detox from Soda. I have to confess, I love soda. Mt. Dew in particular. But it makes me feel so... Blah...you know?  Bloated and sluggish. I know I feel better when I don't try to and fuel my body with loads of sugar but some how the taste keeps pulling me back in! I'm not trying to get rid of the stuff all together - I'm not strong enough for that right now. BUT I can drink it in moderation, and I'm going to start by getting rid of it for a week just to cleanse my body and kill the craving. I feel a little empowered! I can say no to soda! :)

Okay so here is my beginning of January weigh in...

Starting weight: 156 pounds

Happy 2013

Happy New Year!

Like I mentioned in my previous post, the foundation for this year is that I will bless the Lords name no matter what my circumstances. Building an alter in a sense, saying that right now my heart will choose to say Lord blessed be your name. In everything.

Keeping that in mind, there are a few things I would like to accomplish this year. When I thought about making goals and resolutions I first thought that there really wasn't anything that I wanted to strive for this year, but the more I thought about it the more things kept popping up in my mind and then it didn't take long for the list to grow!

Here are some of the things off my list... no particular timelines for most of these... and some of them might be a little out of my control, but I would still like to see them happen.

~ Complete the Bible in 90 days reading.... I've done this before and I have really enjoyed it!
~ Complete 90 days of P90X.... Getting physically and spiritually fit ; )
~ Lose 20-25 pounds... You know how you get the freshman 15 in college? I think it doubles your first year of marriage! YIKES!
~ Give our hall bathroom a mini make-over (the one I ruined here earlier this year...)
~ Become a better meal planner... Less boxed foods, less eating out, more protein, less carbs, less processed foods
~ Become a better couponer... Keeping track of my coupons and not going shopping without them!
~ Pay off my car! This one is huge! Mark and I have been waiting to join banking accounts until I get my car paid off because my car loan is through my original bank so it just makes things easier... It's looking like January will be the month to accomplish this 1 1/2 year goal! Once my loan is paid off we will only have Mark's school loans and our mortgage :)
~ Finish my first olympic distance triathlon - this has a timeline, I am going to be running one in JUNE  unless the following occurs..
~ Run More! I guess this goes with the other fitness goals!
~ Create a baby Poindexter. : ) Thats right folks, the Poindexters are praying about adding a wee one to the family in 2013, or at least have one growing by the end of 2013.
~ Become an Aunt! This ones totally out of my control. Should probably stay on the prayer list side of things... but we're really praying for my sister and her husband to have a baby this year as well, as they've been trying for over a year.
~ Re-paint music room
~ Read more .... I think I may write down a list of books I want to read this year and mark them off as I go!
~ Plant a Garden this spring

You see? Lots of things on my mind as I think about this upcoming year. I know as far as goal planning the Lords cautions us about boasting about tomorrow....

 ^"Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil."

James 4:13-15

So why I hope the things that I have listed will become a reality, I will try my best to be submitted to the Lord's will and choose to bless His name no matter the timing or accomplishment of these goals.

Here's to a great 2013!