Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Overtake. Complete.

February 26, 2013

Why do I wait so long to run to You? 
Why wait for moments of desperation? 
Lord, I am weak, but You are strong. 
I fail, but You have won. 
You've already won.
You've fought the battle.

Jesus, be present in my life. 
Make a difference in my actions. 
Show me the right attitude. 
TAKE OVER.

Flood my life. 
May my cup run over with Your blessings.

Overtake. Complete.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Day 7 - From a Low Angle

February Photo Challenge Day 7 - From a Low Angle

These roses hang in my room. 
A reminder that I am a daughter of the King. 
I am loved.


Day 6 - From a Distance

February Photo Challenge Day 6 - From a Distance

Late night drive home after a fantastic night with friends.

Lights, highway, and hospital.

Day 5 - Faceless Self Portrait

February Photo Challenge Day 5 - Faceless Self Portrait

I always enjoy the days that I can get out of the office to run errands, 
and enjoy the sun.

Day 4 - Favourite Colour

February Photo Challenge Day 4 - Favourite Colour

Love this! Purple has been my favourite colour forever - seriously forever. 
Thus, welcome to my room.

 Top: My beautiful walls - Cinnamon Slate
Bottom: My newest sweater from Anthropology in NYC. 

Left: The necklace holder that my aunt made and painted for me years ago.
Right: Dress. Purple. Ruffles. How can it get better? 

The Frontenac, Quebec City - Part of my wall art.

So excited about my NYC Central Park coasters!

Teacup from Butchart Gardens in Victoria.

It's all about the accessories.

More art - a cross stitch from my Grandma.

Love books!

My dear girl Emily - an American Girl Doll that I bought in NYC in 2008.

I absolutely love my room. 
I love that it is my two favourite colours, purple and green. 
I love all memories that it includes!

Day 3 - Flavour

February Photo Challenge Day #3 - Flavour


What's your favourite?

Baking on Sunday...and loving it! It had been too long.

(The spice on the left, Star of Anise, is used only at Christmas in our house - for peppernuts, my absolute favourite Christmas baking)

Saturday, February 2, 2013

February 2 - Fuzzy

Photo Challenge Day #2 - Fuzzy

Today is Saturday. A Saturday with very little scheduled. So I'm cuddled up on my couch, with some comfy, cozy, fuzzy things.

I plan on staying here until guilt over takes me and I start my Saturday list of thing to do!


A few other fuzzy items that have been in my life recently:



So blessed by my trip to NYC this year, but also so full of fun, especially at Dylan's Candy Bar and the massive M&M's store!

Friday, February 1, 2013

"The Spreadsheet"

Last summer I realized I needed some lessons in a healthy lifestyle. I was at a point where I felt like all areas of life were unhealthy. I knew it would be a long process to journey back to health, probably one that continues through-out life.

I decided that the first task I was going to tackle was the "physical" aspect. It seems to be the most tangible (compared to emotional and spiritual).

One of the blogs I follow is Colourful Palate. My friend, Charissa, is a huge inspiration in many areas. I appreciate her love for life, her desire for healthy living, and her love for Jesus. Back in July she had a "Smoothie Challenge" in which she challenged us to have a smoothie a day. We had to document what we had each, and she tracked our "points". This was of course to encourage a healthy lifestyle, but also a side goal was to loose 5 vanity pounds. :)

This made me smile, and I shared it with my other blogging buddy, Jocelyn. We started to brain-storm some ways we could loose our vanity pounds, but most of all, spur each other on in living a healthy lifestyle.

Thus, "the spreadsheet" was born. If you're friends with me on Facebook, you will have heard of the spreadsheet. Everything I do or don't do seems to relate back to the spreadsheet. Being an office woman, any time I can create a fantastic spreadsheet I do a little happy dance, so that's exactly what happened...


It's all about the friendly competition. We track our daily activities, and the spreadsheet (with some fantasticlly awesome formulas) tracks our weekly totals, and then each monthly total. That's the ultimate "winner" so to speak. It is all in fun, but someone else knowing my every day movements spurs me on! Each day we track:

~ Excerise (walking, running, ringette, hiking, etc)
~ Work outs (sit-ups, push-ups, crunches, planks, etc)
~ Treat Eating (Dessert and Starbucks!)
~ Healthy Eating (Fruits and Veggies)
~ Water Intake (8 cups/day)



Our vanity pounds have indeed shed themselves, but more importantly, we do truly lead a healthier lifestyle. We're conscious of what we eat, and of the exercise we do - or don't do. We've had another friend join us as extra inspiration (she's killing me this month! Gah!).

It's all apart of the process. The long process of building a healthier me. Thankful for Jocelyn and Meghan who daily inspire me to keep doing my sit-ups. Thankful that HE gives me the strength and energy to keep going.

February 1 - Friend

Photo Challenge Day #1 - Friend

There is no way that I could pick one photo. Do you know me?

Rachel & Erin
These are my working buddies. 
It is seriously so much fun to work with your friends. Rachel is married a good friend of mine growing up, and has become a great friend of mine in the last 2 years (and we're unstoppable together at work!). I've known Erin since we were 13 and we have many the boy-drama stories to swamp from Junior High. ;)

Mikayla and Kristin
These two are the greatest. Knowing Mik since I was 9 years old, there is more history there than I sometimes care to admit. Kris and I are pretty much the same person but different too - So much inspriation and passion that I admire in her. I love seeing these two on the best night of the week - choir Tuesdays.

Jocelyn, Nessa, Gina, Jess, Bev, and Laura
 My life wouldn't be the same without my girls. What a blessing they are in my life. This year we've switched up our prayer schedule, and committed to prayer for each one of us on a specific day. What a special to bound with each other and with the Lord.

February Photo Challenge

I know. *Everyone* is doing a photo challenge. You're probably shaking your head at me right now. But well, to be honest, I don't care! ;) I like 'em, for a few different reasons. 

~ They require discipline. It's something that needs to be done every day. This is a good thing in my life. Keeps me focused.

~ You need to "search" for your photo. Either by looking through your photos for an old photo, or by looking through your every-day life to take the perfect photo. You start to see things from a different perspective.

~ They help you notice people, places, tastes, colour, or anything that is already a part of your life! 

So, here is my Feburary Photo Challenge - borrowed from marvelousthingsphotoblog.com



Enjoy - or ignore if you really are sick of photo challenges! ;)