Living and Active 5 Week Challenge from Peak313

After coming out of my two years of pregnancy, I find myself in the worst shape of my life. I've been extremely overweight since my first pregnancy 11 years ago. Its definitely time to make a permanent change. I've tried this and that over the years and am just plain sick and tired of not being able to do what I want. I had hip issues with the last pregnancy as a result of the previous pregnancy. To help with these issues I've been in physical therapy, this really opened my eyes to exactly how out of shape I am.

I've been kind of mulling it over, praying a little bit, and researching a little about what I want to do to change my lifestyle/eating habits/overall fitness. Enter Clare at Peak313. I've been following her blog for quite some time and have always enjoyed her posts about new exercises, eating tips, and the like without actively participating. Last year I was pregnant and in the midst of morning sickness when she introduced this challenge, so I was unable to participate. This year, I'm ready and so excited to join this challenge!

This challenge is 5 weeks long and will incorporate scripture memorization as well as physical fitness. I'm so excited to embark on this new  journey and even more excited to begin with a challenge that will help my spiritual life as well as my physical one. For more information on this challenge click any of the images. I hope you'll consider joining me and am excited to see where we will be at the conclusion. I will be posting here every week during the challenge, so make sure you come back and visit.

Women Living Well

I have had the great pleasure of being chosen to be on the launch team for Courtney Joseph's new book, Women Living Well. Many of you will recognize her name from her blog, Women Living Well, as well as the Good Morning Girls website.

She has recently written a book entitled Women Living Well: Finding Your Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home.

 

She talks about obstacles we face as wives, mothers, homemakers, etc. I have really enjoyed this book. I was given an advanced copy to help put the word out as well as review. Below is a trailer announcing the book:

I will be posting a full review when I finish reading the book. So far, it has been very helpful and somewhat convicting. And I'm only halfway through!! I will also be hosting my first ever giveaway for a signed copy!!

If you can't wait for the giveaway and want to pre-order your copy now, Courtney is offering a 10 ebook bundle as a free gift. There are also several other gifts if you order more. Click here to pre-order and for more information on the free gifts click here.

My giveaway will start on September 23rd, so check back then to enter to win a signed copy of this wonderful book!

 

Mom

Sometimes all you need is your Mom. I'm so thankful that I've been blessed with a mother who is able to help me whenever she can and usually whenever I need it. This past April I gave birth to my fifth child. He is my second child born in the last two years and third child born in the last four years. Needless to say, I've been very busy. I've basically been pregnant these last two years. I don't regret it for a second. I am so blessed to have these children. I did however, have difficult pregnancies for the last two.

They are both boys and I'm beginning to really believe that it is harder for me to carry boys than girls. I had a very large boy for my fourth child, including a difficult delivery, so when I found out I was pregnant again when he was 6 months old, I was terrified. Terrified of giving birth again, terrified that I'd have another difficult pregnancy and terrified that I hadn't even lost all the baby weight and was going to gain more because let's face it, when it comes to gaining weight during pregnancy, I'm an overachiever.

My pregnancy was in fact difficult. Lots of hip issues, culminating in four months of sitting in my chair because I couldn't move without lots of pain. After my precious baby was born, I still was working to recover. Enter my mother. I was feeling down and depressed. I felt kind of hopeless. My husband and I talked about what we could do to turn the situation around. I suggested flying my mother out to visit me for a week. We got a wonderful deal and a little under a month later my mother arrived.

She immediately began cleaning and caring for my children and me. She boosted me up and gave me encouragement. She told me that I'm a great mother and gave me a few examples as to why she thought so. She was an answer to prayer. The week went by too fast as it always does. The day she left I was very sad and felt lonely. But, I didn't forget my mother's words of encouragement. Inside the depression had lifted and I once again felt capable to take care of my family and home. My mother was what I needed. She was the answer to my prayer.

So I'd just like to thank my mother was helping me, in many different ways. Thank you for loving me especially when I was unlovable. Thank you for helping me every single time I needed help. And most of all, thank you for being my mother.

Upcoming Giveaway!!

I'm very excited to announce that in the next month or so I will be doing my first giveaway!! Yay! I'm so excited!! Make sure that you stay tuned to my blog for your chance to win!! :)

Secrets over Sweet Tea

 

 

From the publisher's webpage: "Secrets can be funny things. We think they keep us safe, but more often than not, they spill out when we least expect and make a mess out of everything. It’s a truth Scarlett Jo Newberry knows all too well—a truth Grace Shepherd and Zach Craig are about to learn the hard way. As the lives of this boisterous pastor’s wife, polished news anchor, and beleaguered divorce attorney intersect in the tree-lined streets of Franklin, Tennessee, scandal threatens to topple their carefully constructed worlds. Grasping at survival, they embark on a journey of friendship and courage, desperate to find a way back to laughter, love, and life."

 

I immediately loved this book from the first chapter. I really enjoyed the way she describes every character. I especially loved the character of Scarlett Jo. I really identified with her. My favorite paragraph early on in the book,"But Scarlett Jo thought it was something else. It was because, for the most part, she was nothing but herself. What you saw was what you got. It had taken her a long time and a lot of pain to get there. And people responded to that." when referring to why she generally made friends easily and got along with others. I love the fullness of the characters.

The 4 Seasons of Marriage.

 

 

From the publisher's webpage:"The seasons of marriage come and go. Each one holds the potential for emotional health and happiness, and each one has its challenges. The purpose of this book is to describe these recurring seasons of marriage, help you and your spouse identify which season your marriage is in, and show you how to enhance your marriage in all four seasons."

 

 

I've enjoyed Gary Chapman's books. They've really helped to change my perspective on things. There are different times in our lives and in our marriages. This book will give you practical and insightful techniques in helping strengthen your marriage.

I'm no Angel

 





I'm no Angel by Kylie Bisutti is Kylie's story of how from her early teen years she struggled to make it in modeling and then to winning the Victoria's Secret Runway Angel competition. Then she began struggling spirtually with her life in the modeling world. She shows a rare behind the scenes look at modeling and shares her testimony.

 

I have been wanting to read this book since I saw it reviewed on the Women Living Well blog. I really liked the way Kylie presented her story. It felt like you were just talking to a good friend. She is so honest and forthcoming with her testimony and how she came to know the Lord. It felt as if I was coming into her confidence and she was sharing it with me personally. I really enjoyed this book.