Wednesday Ramblings

Hola amigos.

Welcome to hUMp day... aka Wednesday. Thank you for making your way over here today. No specific topic for the blog today, just random ramblings of thoughts. Feel free to join in on my lunch hour day dreaming and scheming.

Currently I'm dreaming that my heartburn will chill out. Frozen yogurt might just do the trick - but we'll save that for later. I love this place. And, along with some friends, like to get yogurt at least once a week. Still that doens't seem often enough. If you live in the Peoria/Arrowhead, AZ area... check this place out.

Yogurtime

Did I mention friends a second ago? I think so...and can I just tell you how BLESSED I have felt recently in regards to relationships and friends. As most of you know, the husband and I moved here a little over a year ago all by ourselves. We have a very small amount of extended family that live in AZ and have started friendships all over in this new place. Most of the people we know is because I've work with them and in turn, they have introduced us to their friends. Amazing people, simply awesome, great people to hang out with. And God has been putting certain people into our lives and just the right time to encourage each other and bond. The last few months have been great getting to know new people. And therefore, I am grateful for friendships today.

“Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold.”

Next item on the scheming blog agenda... sports. That's right - LADIES: it's time to talk sports! I love sports. Specifically football, even more specifically... Notre Dame college football.So starting in a few weeks I will be doing a Friday Football series. I'm guessing most of your husbands, fiancee's, boyfriends, etc... are into sports... but, the question is: do you really have any idea what they are talking about? Do you know what the NFL Lockout is.. or was? What's your husband's favorite team? Do you really know if they are doing good when you watch the game with him? How about running a route? Nope.. it's got nothing to due with a newspapers. So it's time for some lessons.

Stay tuned for more info!

Chop Chop

Alright folks... as promised... after much thought and definitely a freaking out moment at the salon... I did it! I chopped 11 inches off my long light brown hair and went a little blonder.

So without further adue...the reveal of my haircut!

BEFORE

AFTER

11 inches donated to Locks of Love!

So... whadda ya think?!

Message in The Message

This past weekend at church, our pastor encouraged us to dive into the Word of God on a daily basis and asked us to challenge ourselves to be dedicated to pursuing the great messages God has for us in there. Our pastor also shared a few quotes about the Bible from some pretty important people... take a guess at who said these things:

“It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”

"Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there contained! Every member would be obliged in conscience to temperance, frugality and industry: to justice, kindness and charity towards his fellow men: and to piety, love and reverence toward Almighty God....What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be."

"The reason that Christianity is the best friend of Government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart."

George Washington

John Quincy Adams

Thomas Jefferson

Our founding fathers KNEW that God's Word changes the hearts of men and that it carried a GREAT message.

This week and last week, during my 5AM workouts at the gym, I've been taking my Kindle along and diving into my Bible. I love reading different versions of scriptures, so on my Kindle I have downloaded The Messages Bible. It's easy to read and some of the wording just resinates more with me. I've read through all of Ephesians and below are some of my favorite verses.

 "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first head of Christ and got out hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living - part of the overall purpose he is working out in everyTHING and everyONE."

"God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine, or guess, or request in your wildest dreams! He does it, not by pushing us around, but by working within us, his spirit deeply and gently within us."

"And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd..... But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you."

"Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift."

Change for Change

This past week a gorgeous, creative, fellow blogger of mine has INSPIRED me to SHINE along with her to help high school students reach their dream of going to college. A fellow Arizonian (is that a word?), Ashley LeMieux from The Shine Project has a GOAL of raising $20,000 for the Shine Scholarship Project to go towards a college scholarships for four Phoenix high school students. This is a HUGE, AMAZING goal!

Check out what Ashley wants to do:

"My goal is to raise $20,000 for The Shine Project Scholarship Fund by the end of October. The money will specifically be going to four students at Cesar Chavez High School in Phoenix, Arizona, to help them pay for their first year of college. This will be accomplished in two ways. The first way is by doing CHANGE for CHANGE jars. You have the opportunity to get involved by pledging to do a CHANGE jar. I have tags to send you, and for the next three months you will throw your leftover change in this jar. Those of you who are brave will also get your friends, neighbors, and businesses around you to to show a little love and donate."

My goal is simply to HELP! To make a DIFFERENCE in the lives of 4 students who want to pursue their dreams! BUT, I need your help! My goal is to help Ashley and The Shine Scholarship Fund by raising $100 by October through my own Change for Change jar. If you work with me, see me on the weekends, or even if you live farther away... would you be willing to help too?

All I'm asking is for you to save your lose change for the next three months. Whenever you see me, if you are willing, let me know if you have change to put in the bucket! I'll have one jar with me at work and one at home. TOGETHER you and I along with tons of other inspired people will make some amazing dreams come true for high school students that otherwise would have no means to even think about affording college.

Check out more details at: The Shine Project - Change 4 Change

Time for a CUT

It's time. It's hot... it's summer... and I have had long hair for years! It's time for a haircut! It's time for a change! I've decided I'm chopping my long hair and donating it to charity. BUT I need some help determining my new style!

Here is my hair length now:

And here are the styles I love... and this is where YOU come in!

I need your VOTE!

Please comment below and include the style option you like!

Style Options:

1. Jennifer Aniston's new cut

 

2. Lauren Conrad's short do

3. Heidi Klum's new do

I'll do a before and after picture once I get it cut to let you know which style I chose!

ALSO - If anyone knows a great cancer/wig charity to donate my hair to, please leave a comment below.

4th Festivities

This 4th of July weekend:

I saw my first Rodeo in Prescott... the World's Oldest Rodeo!

Prescott, AZ

Friends and Fireworks

Land of the Free

Happy Birthday America! 

Middlebury, IN. My hometown.

I don't really know how old you are now but I do know a lot of things about you. I was born on your land, grew up around the lush cornfields of Indiana, and swam in the lakes in Michigan. My mom and dad always had an American Flag flying high in our yard and I remember how special I felt when I was my turn to read the Pledge of Allegiance over the loud speaker in elementary school. All those times I stood on the basketball court in my cheerleading uniform singing the National Anthem with the choir or my teammates with my hand over my heart staring up at your stars and stripes. 

Fish Lake, Sturgis, Michigan- where my mom, aunts, uncles, cousins grew up

I'll never forget the day I came out of the I-Step test in high school and heard someone say that a plane crashed into the twin towers in New York City. The terrifying few days and weeks after 9/11 will define my generation, but so will the resilience of our Armed Forces men and women and the freedom that they fight for... even 10 years later. And how we've learned to be grateful for our freedom and have a new pride in our country.

America, you were built by faith, trust, and hard work by our founding fathers who just wanted to be able to practice their choice of religion freely. IN GOD WE TRUST, was put in our coins for a reason. God knew we would always need to trust Him during the wars, floods, famines, trials, and tribulations we would endure on this free land. We ARE ONE NATION, and YES we are UNDER GOD... but are we following Him? Are we really trusting Him? We should be.

Thank to the BRAVE men and women in our Armed Services who have been fighting to protect this country and keep it free. Praying that you all come home quickly and safely!