I am a Spartan!

Ok friends.... so I am not so great at this blogging thing. I  picked a busy time to start the hobby of blogging.....but hey..that's ok. I will keep at it...a year of learning and then maybe by this time next year I will get my groove and rhythm...just testing the waters for now.

SO... my current blog update is to share on my recent experience becoming a SPARTAN!

I AM A SPARTAN! (Imagine me yelling that in a deep and hardcore voice..haha) I recently participated in a spartan race...which was insane and so much fun! It was a race where you run around 5 miles through the woods and swamps while facing different obstacle and challenges along the way. like climbing over 10 foot walls, crawling in the mud under barbed wire, draggin cinderblocks by a chain up a hill, or climbing up a rope. It was nuts, and I am so sore and bruised and cut up..but I loved every second of it!

Here is a before and after shot..

Before..

After...

If you are up for a good challenge I highly recommend this race. It was a fun challenge to take on..though it may make you a little sore..(especially if you can't complete an obstacle and have to do 30 burbee's before moving on in the race) it was worth it!

Remember to be tuff, be strong and be spartan..and have a fabulous week! 

Eat like a Cave Man..

This week Andrew and I decided to try the Paleo diet. Just for a week. A lot of our friends from church have switched to a paleo life style and just rave about it. We like to say we will try anything once..so here we go!

Photo Credit

Paleo is also referred to as the Cave Man diet or Hunter-Gather diet. In this diet one eats pretty much only veggies, fruits and meats. No grains, no starches, no dairy, no beans and no processed foods. All natural.  Which if you know me, and how much I love cheese, and bread and chips and dip..you know how hard this must be for me...which makes it even better for practicing the skill of discipline.

We don't necessarily agree with the diet 100%. I'm never quite sure how I feel about cutting out entirely some of the major food groups...but it will be interesting to see how I feel and how I have adjusted after a week.

So far today I have been REALLY hungry. I feel like I am eating more because I am not filling up on starches and grains. It also has been hard..I have been craving cheez-its or chips and queso. But I've made it through the first day.

Here's to the journey of trying knew things and practicing discipline...

All Aboard!

Back from the cruise...it was amazing!

Every year Chick-fil-A takes all their restaurant owner/operators, staff and spouses on a big Seminar trip. An annual meeting to help reflect and cast vision and of course..we do more than meet...we have a  lot of fun! This year Seminar was on a cruise. Allure of the Seas - the biggest cruise ship out there....and I think the ship is only about 3 years old. It was incredible. My first cruise and I loved it...here are some pictures from our fun trip....

The Bahamas...

The view from our room...

Rockwall on the ship...they had a speed  climbing competition and I got first place in the women's league ;) 

The flow riders...simulated waves for surfing and wake-boarding....(and our friend Seth rocking at it)

Me...this is about as far as I got on it..haha...

The Captains Dinner... fancy smancy...

Atlantis resort in the Bahamas...

Watching the sun  rise and set from the balcony over the water in our room...

It was a great trip. So incredible to be out deep deep at sea. (first hand I experienced and saw why they call it the "deep blue sea") I don't know how anyone could go on a cruise and see the bigness of the waters spanning across the earth and not believe in an all powerful God to create it all....incredible beauty!

Cabin escape...

Thursday evening Andrew and I spontaneously decided we were in need of a weekend getaway. So we quickly searched online and found a cozy rustic cabin in Blue Ridge to reserve and venture out to for the weekend.

We had a blast. I left all my make-up, hair products, jewelry and stylish clothes at home AND we decided to cut out social media and put our phones on airplane mode for the weekend.

It was such a sweet escape to enjoy quality time together and God's beautiful creation. 

Our cabin was right along a river...I LOVE the sound of natural flowing water. In our world today, especially living in a city in western culture...we are constantly distracted and overwhelmed with overstimulation.

Getting away like this, shutting out our phones and turning up the sound of nature was so good for the nourishment of the soul. It reminded me how important meditation time, free of distraction truly is.  

I highly recommend mini sabbatical's like this, whether with your family or by yourself. Turning off your phone, unplugging, and unwinding in an environment where nature is free and screams out beauty is so good for the soul! 

Time to join the blogger world....

So I think I am going to give this blogging thing a try...we will see how it goes...

Let's start with a recap from Christmas....

Andrew, Dakota and I ventured on a 13 hour drive to see my family in Independence, MO (Independence is to Kansas City what Marietta is to Atlanta). We got to spend time with lots of family and we got to play in the S N O W ! It was Dakota's first time to see snow and he LOVED it! He was pouncing around in the snow like a bunny. He sure was born for that cold fluffy white stuff!

It was a long drive, but well worth it.

I love the holiday's! Such a great time to stop, rest, spend quality time with people we love and reflect on the most amazing gift in the world. The gift of a Savior that came to sacrifice everything so that he could make us pure and white as snow and to give us the opportunity to have eternal life with our heavenly Father and creator. A time to reflect and be thankful for all the blessings I have and do not come near deserving!

2012 was great, my heart is full of smiles and thankfulness.

C H E E R S to another exciting and adventurous year! 2013 I can't wait to see what you have in store for me and my family!

Blogger world...that's all I've got for now ... more sprucing of the site and adding pages soon to come!