tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86954473395572982492024-03-13T22:15:05.933-07:00A Day in the Life of a SNYDER...Random ramblings about what goes on in my day and about being a wife, mother, friend, and runner. snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.comBlogger250125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-14949175735309689182018-01-03T05:03:00.002-08:002018-01-03T05:03:36.712-08:00Hello 2018!I have managed to go on an almost two-year hiatus with this blog and I apologize. I just read my last post and can remember those feelings well! I would like to think I sit here typing a changed woman, a woman who has gotten it all together since then, but I haven't. I am no longer on the brink of emotional breakdown, but I still have problems with managing everything. However, I have learned to take it day by day, say no when necessary, and try to find the joy somewhere along the way. <br />
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With that being said, it's a new year. I time for starting over. I can honestly say I am EXCITED about 2018! I'm not really sure why, but I just am. I love the feeling of a fresh start, of renewed focus. I used to make resolutions for each new year...and not ever follow through. This year I have decided to adopt a theme for the year that encompasses many aspects of my life that need some tweaking. <br />
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This year, my theme is <i>Save & Savor</i>. I prayed and feel as if this is what the Lord has laid on my heart for 2018. Here are my initial thoughts, however they may change/adapt as the year progresses:<br />
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I want to save time and plan ahead to eliminate stress. This can be with cooking, cleaning, errand-running, meal-planning...really anything.<br />
<br />I want to save money. I want to make a budget and STICK TO IT. I have started being intentional with saving, but want to cut out some frivolous spending and save it. If I make more money by working more hours during busy times at work, I want to save that extra. I want to use the money to take meaningful vacations with my family, weekend trips, activities, etc.<br />
<br />I want to savor my time with the Lord. I want to spend time with Him daily and savor it, not just check it off my to-do list.<br />
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I want to savor my time with family. Sometimes I find myself saying that I'm spending time with my family, yet I never sit down. I'm always doing something. Sometimes I just need to stop and savor the moments. This also means giving my kids and husband my undivided attention when they are talking to me.<br />
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I want to save time in my schedule for nurturing friendships. I have found that I need friends in my life for encouragement and refreshment.<br />
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I also want to save time in my schedule for regular date nights with my husband. <br />
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I want to savor my food and start eating healthier. This means sitting down at the table to eat meals with my family.<br />
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I want to save my health and take better care of my body. I have slacked off on exercise and it shows in the way my clothes fit AND in my energy levels. If I don't get proactive, it will lead to future health problems.<br />
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So, can you tell I'm a list girl? I could probably list more things, however I am going to save myself some undue stress by not getting overwhelmed by a list that is too long. <br />
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Have you made a resolution for the new year? Or a theme perhaps? I would love to hear about it if you have!<br />
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Here's to an awesome 2018!!snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-39350472962887828042016-04-17T04:56:00.002-07:002016-04-17T05:06:37.247-07:00Keepin' It RealI going to just come out and say it: I am struggling with my life right now. In so many areas of my life, I am tired, discouraged and just plain stressed. And, although I have noticed it for awhile, I feel like it's all sort of come to a head this week for some reason. It was an extra busy week at work with having to fill in for a coworker who was on vacation, and an extra busy week with evening activities to go to. We had a 4-H meeting, volleyball game, a band concert, sleepovers, a birthday dinner, volleyball practice, a birthday cookout for a friend, bringing home 4-H pigs, a small group meeting, youth group, and working on the barn that will house our pigs this summer (they are currently living in short-term housing across the street in our neighbor's barn). With that being said, I'm pooped and emotionally unstable. The house is a mess. The groceries need bought. The laundry needs done. And I all I feel like doing is cry. Out of exhaustion. Frustration. Depression. <br />
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I wouldn't call myself a perfectionist by any means, but I do like to be productive. And ever since we sold our house and moved (twice) last summer, I'm on an ever-present battle to get unpacked, settled in, and organized. And weeks like this frustrate me because I can't even take baby steps towards that goal. There's just no time. And I feel like a failure. I hate the constant rush my life is in right now. Rushing to work after trying to rush to get everyone off to work and school. Rushing home from work to get something that resembles dinner on the table at the right time and get the dishes loaded into the dishwasher before rushing on to the next thing that evening. Rushing to bed at night because my brain can no longer function and I just need quiet and no one to expect anything from me. And while all this rushing is going on, my mental list of things that need accomplished continues to grow. And the rushing continues so that I just might have a few minutes of margin in my life to be able to accomplish something on that ever-growing list. <br />
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To top it off, I am at my heaviest weight since having kids. I feel so uncomfortable in my own skin right now. I'm frustrated because there is absolutely no time to workout. And if I do have time, I'm too exhausted or depressed to actually make it happen. It took me a couple of years and logging in lots of running miles to lose the weight I gained back and the task at hand seems insurmountable right now. I hate the way my clothes fit. I hate the way I look in them. I shudder at the thought of putting on shorts or a bathing suit in just a few short weeks. The stress over the past year has resulted in 25 lbs gained, a ton more gray hair, and wrinkles where there used to be none. My confidence is gone. <br />
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In addition to everything else, I am raising a teen and 2 would-be teens, it seems. One is experiencing their first heart-break and it's killing me. I don't know how to help because they won't talk to me. One is searching desperately for someone to love them; to find acceptance. And the other is struggling with the need to fine-tune their God-given strengths and the process is grueling. I feel so helpless with each of them and, as the years pass by, I can only pray that I've taught them the skills, and built up the character they need to be successful adults. Only time will tell, I guess.<br />
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All of this is affecting my marriage, my parenting, the relationships closest to me. I have come to the realization: I've lost my mojo...my joy. Depression is setting in and I don't like it, yet I'm not sure how to counteract it. Life is moving at a crazy-fast pace right now and I feel like I can't even catch my breath to savor the moments. The sermon at church last week was about not complaining. To counteract our desire to complain my pastor said we should focus on being thank for what we DO have instead of what we don't have. We also need to process the information in order to find a solution to the problem at hand (as opposed to complaining about it and doing nothing). I have really been trying to remember this this week. So this blog post is me processing and trying to find a solution. I need a do-over; a fresh start. And Mondays are a good day for that, right? So I guess I am thankful for Mondays. snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-19438968960844333832016-02-21T15:35:00.002-08:002016-02-21T15:40:20.346-08:00I Was Blind (Dating) But Now I See by Stephanie Rische<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ybkENt4bAVA/VspJizqd-mI/AAAAAAAAA00/vRycw7H2_FE/s1600/boing%2Bdating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ybkENt4bAVA/VspJizqd-mI/AAAAAAAAA00/vRycw7H2_FE/s320/boing%2Bdating.jpg" width="213" /></a>Although I am married and don't need any dating advice, I love reading about people changing their lives and losing weight, fixing their marriage, or, in this case, accepting being single and searching for a mate. This book was more than that, though, and also includes much spiritual insight. The author tells of her journey of being set up on 8 blind dates and even gives each one a nickname such as "Uber-Fundamentalist Boy" and "The Connecticut Yankee". Throughout the book she writes of her feeling of being single and her frustration with not being able to find a husband. She also grows spiritually along the way.<br />
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I really enjoyed this book and helped me to view singleness in a different way. I now have compassion for people who are single and searching for a mate. I have been married since I was 20 and had dated my husband for 4 years prior to that, so I have never had to experience singleness in adulthood. In one story, the author shares about hearing a sermon at church about marriage and the pastor concluding the message while having all the married couples pray together for a few minutes at the end of the service. Since she was single, she felt awkward and somewhat depressed about her singleness. This made me have empathy for singles, and to realize that there are people who are single, but don't want to be and are searching for their soul mate with all they have. <br />
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This is a great book for any women whether they are single or married!<br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale in exchange for this honest review.</span></em><br />
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snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-51959447904249150892016-01-19T15:15:00.001-08:002016-01-19T15:15:30.563-08:00Taking Off The MaskI am guilty. I like to play the part of the Mom-Who-Has-It-All-Together. You know her well, I'm sure...the mom who is well-dressed, her kids say Please and Thank You, she goes to Bible Study, has a good job, a great marriage, great hair, no wrinkles, nice legs, no stretch marks, and the list goes on and on. I don't show my faults to the rest of the world, or not purposely. It's easier to put on a mask than to bare it all to the world. And honestly, most people don't want to hear about our problems so it's easier to just smile and wave. <br />
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Can I just be honest with you? I'm a Hot Mess right now. Motherhood is lovely, but today is one of those days where I have contemplated running away. I feel the need to tell you what my day has been like so that maybe you can realize that you are not alone in your struggles and we can all start to take the masks off and Just. Be. Ourselves. Doesn't that sound refreshing?<br />
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So, today I woke up after not nearly enough sleep. I was up late having a heated conversation with the hubster till after 11 and had to be up at 6 am to start the morning routine. I honestly don't know what I did between 6 & 6:30 but I got the two older kids up so they could start getting ready. We were out of eggs, so bagels were for breakfast. Realized there was only 1 bagel so I made some toast. Sibling rivalry and snarky comments happened and I had to lecture about how to speak nicely to other people and to watch our tone. Eyes rolled. No cash for food at the ski lodge tonight for the kiddos so I quickly threw together some PB&Js and a granola bar for their dinners. They are out the door. Get 8 yr old up and she yells at me for not getting her up sooner (even though I had gotten her up 8 minutes sooner but she fell back asleep). Throw together her lunch and send her out the door. Make some dinner and dessert so this Mama can do her best to stay on her diet (and lose these stubborn 30 lbs). Kitchen is a mess and I haven't had a shower. Shower is taken and by this time I'm running late to meet my friend. I text friend to let her know. Head out the door and haven't defrosted my van so it's freezing on my 30 minute drive to my friend's. Had a great and much needed visit with my friend and rushed home to get the 8 yr old off the bus. Along the way I remember that I need to get more medicine for our cat, so I stop by the vet. Get the meds and realize I have no more checks in my checkbook...and no cash with which to pay him. Embarrassed, I agree to stop by in the morning with a check. Arrived at home with a massive headache. I tell 8 yr old that we are going to get groceries tonight. She throws a fit because she doesn't want to go. I realize that I am nowhere near ready to buy groceries and my menu hasn't been made yet...and my head is pounding so I decide not to go. 8 yr old throws the mother of all fits because she wants to go shopping. She takes my keys and starts the van. She goes to her room and slams the door. She says she hates me. She throws the cat. She finally is told to stay in her room and take a nap. Currently I think she actually has fallen asleep! Either that, or she is secretly plotting my demise. Either way, I am enjoying the peace and quiet. I have a dirty cluttered house. The dishes are not done. The laundry is not done. I'm exhausted. And it's only 6pm! <br />
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Luckily the earlier part of the day was awesome. I spent the day at a dear friend's house playing with her kids and catching up with each other's lives. We prayed together. We cried together. We understood each other. We saw each other for who we are, not who we are trying to portray most days. And we love each other despite all our flaws and weaknesses. I am so thankful for times when I can just be ME. I encourage you to try it sometime and feel how wonderfully refreshing it can be! <br />
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snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-37679574691511019532016-01-10T19:48:00.002-08:002016-01-10T19:49:46.588-08:00A New Year, A New Me...eventually.First of all, Happy New Year! I know I'm 10 days late, but as always, I have an <strike>excuse</strike> reason. Thanks to my contagious daughter breathing a little too closely to my face on Christmas, I was lucky enough to come down with her cold the last couple of days in December. That cold left me coughing my head off and sleeping on the couch so as to not wake the Hubster. After 10 days of misery and exhaustion, I went to the doc and she diagnosed me with a sinus infection AND bronchitis. She also said that, had I waited to be seen a couple more days, I would have ended up with an ear infection and pneumonia. I'm glad I went when I did and have been increasingly feeling better with each new day. <br />
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Being sick has been so frustrating! This last year has been super stressful for me and with the stress, I have battled some health concerns as well as gaining back the 25 lbs I had lost over the past few years. I feel like I want this year to be a year of new beginnings for me. I want to finally reach my goal weight and be healthy and confident. I feel like these extra pounds hold me back from doing so many things and truly enjoying life. I had told myself to enjoy the holidays because come January 1st, I was hitting he weight-loss train. Well...fast forward 10 days and I still don't feel entirely back to normal yet and I'm not really supposed to work out for another week if my lungs cooperate with the meds I'm on. I have taken 1 walk and have done 1 upper body workout in these 10 days, but I've also done my share of eating snacks and cookies and such that I vowed to swear off. I even made a plan with a dear friend of mine to get back on track together last Monday (a day before I went to the doc) because I thought I would be feeling better by then. She did great and lost 5 lbs and I did poorly. But that is where grace comes in. I'm giving myself grace. I will lose this weight this year but I need to make sure I give myself time to recover from this bronchitis too. I'm just frustrated that it all has been postponed temporarily!<br />
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So here's my plan...<br />
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1. Weigh in each Monday morning. To be honest I have broken up with the scale, but it gives me a way to measure progress. I actually didn't even pay attention to the number on the scale at the doctor's office...I have no clue what it read! I knew the nurse too and had worked out with her a few years ago at the gym and normally would have been mortified by the whole situation. But instead I just chatted with her and completely forgot to see what the scale said! To me that is progress of its own! I also am going to get nerdy and make a spreadsheet of my weightloss so I can track my progress along the way. Oh yeah and one of those charts listing each pound I have to lose where you color in each square when you lose it. I need some visuals! <br />
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2. Follow the Trim Healthy Mama way of eating the best I can. I have fallen off the wagon time and time again with THM. It's not THM's fault...it's entirely mine. I fail to plan my meals or buy the proper ingredients or just get lazy and want to eat something that doesn't require a lot of dishes and/or preparation in the kitchen. But the plan works and I feel great when I stay on-plan. So I'm going to get back at it tomorrow! <br />
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3. Have accountability/encouragement from a friend. I have a friend who is also doing THM so we have agreed to hold each other accountable and encourage one another along the way. This is crucial for me because I often feel so lonely when trying to lose weight!<br />
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4. Work out! My sister recently told me about Blogilates.com and it's great! Cassey Ho, the founder of Blogilates, is super encouraging and not at all annoying like some fitness gurus. Mainly she gives you access to a monthly workout calendar that lists each day's workouts that you should do. The workouts are found on her YouTube channel. There are ususally 3 or 4 shorter workouts that you do together for each day. And the cool thing is that each day of the week (with the exception of Sunday) you focus on a different muscle group/body part. I love that because it takes the guesswork out of it for me and I don't get tired of the same old workout DVD. I am also planning to walk a couple of times a week with a neighbor and eventually get back into running once the weather is fit and my lungs are healed.<br />
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That's pretty much it. I'm trying to keep things simple this time around. Wish me luck! snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-34832303254450012352015-12-20T04:16:00.000-08:002015-12-20T04:25:08.075-08:00Book Review: God For The Rest Of Us by Vince AntonucciI just finished reading a great book called <em>God For The Rest Of Us </em>by Vince Antonucci. Vince pastors a church called Verve in Las Vegas; a place where sin runs rampant and people are thought of as unchangeable. Vince has set out to prove that people in Las Vegas CAN be reached for Christ and their lives CAN be turned around. <br />
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I will be honest and say that I was not super excited about reviewing this book. I'm not really sure why, although I think it was due to it sounding so basic. Like just another book on evangelism. I was wrong. Don't tell my husband. This book is really good. And when I say really, I mean REALLY. As in I didn't want to put it down. Throughout this book, Vince tells stories of people he has come in contact with in Las Vegas who live sinful lives. And how Christ changes them forever. In Las Vegas there are many different types of people: pimps, addicts, prostitutes, shame-filled, homeless, and many others. Vince has met them all and has seen God's transforming power in their lives. In his book each chapter is dedicated to those different types of people. He tells about his experience with them, and then he uses stories of how Jesus interacted with those same type of people. Some Christians would says that God doesn't love pimps, prostitutes, or addicts, but Jesus does. And Vince has seen Jesus's love at work first-hand. Vince's sense of humor is also evident throughout the book. He uses various footnotes to make funny comments and give deeper insight to his stories. I'm a quirky person and love quirky books, so I really enjoyed his footnotes!<br />
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This book really changed my thinking. I knew God loves everyone, but I think I did look at some certain groups of people as unloved by God or unreachable. <em>God For The Rest Of Us </em>showed me that EVERYONE needs a savior and deep-down desires one whether they realize it or not. And just because someone lives a certain life does not mean that we should just give up on them and not tell them the life-changing message of Jesus. <br />
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*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for this review.<br />
<br />snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-21236040358244023862015-11-07T05:50:00.001-08:002015-11-07T05:50:27.487-08:00Did you miss me? And our Caribbean cruise recap!I can't believe it's been 5 months since I last posted! This year has been unbelievably stressful and time has flown by. In my last post we had moved into a rental after selling our house. Well we were there 2 weeks and our landlord told us that he had someone who wanted to buy that house. Long story short, we didn't know when the purchase would take place so we started looking for a house to buy with intensity! We found a place about 15 min from our old community and 4 minutes from our son and daughter's school, which was amazing considering the fact that football was starting and we had been driving to the school at least once a day. We bought the house without a hitch. We refinished the floors in the living room before moving in which consisted of a week of very late nights. We moved in the following weekend. Thinking back to it makes me feel so tired! Through it all I have learned that we are adaptable as humans. We have all adjusted well. I also have recognized the effect that stress can have on our bodies. My husband ended up getting sick after the moving was done. In the past year I have gained 20 lbs and started experiencing dizziness and extreme fatigue. My doctor ran tests that all came back normal and concluded that I may have Meniere's Disease. And for the first time in my life (aside from being pregnant), my blood pressure was elevated. So I'm currently taking a water pill to see if that will help my bp and the dizziness. In the meantime I need to focus on keeping my stress levels down (as much as possible with 3 kids!) and taking better care of my body by eating better and exercising. <br />
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Luckily we had booked a cruise with our friends literally a week before we signed the contract for our new house (we probably never would have booked it knowing we would be moving again so soon!) and we just got back a couple of days ago. It was amazing and just what we needed...5 days of total relaxation. We were so relaxed when we got home that we couldn't remember where everyday items were located in our house anymore! And I'm still having problems getting back into cooking, cleaning, etc since it was all done for me for the past week! Here are some pictures from our trip:<br />
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Here is a picture of our ship. We cruised on the Carnival Paradise. I have read it's one of their older ships, but we enjoyed it and didn't get a feel that it was old at all.<br />
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Here's our white skin, that hasn't seen strong sunshine in months, soaking up some rays...<br />
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On our cruise, there was one Cruise Elegant Dinner so we dressed up a bit. It was nice to dress up and enjoy a fancy dinner! The evening dinners were chef-prepared and AMAZING. We all looked forward to the seeing what was on the menu each night.<br />
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Here are our friends that cruised with us, Heath and Jenny.<br />
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While at Grand Cayman, we did an excursion. A boat took us to Stingray City and then on to Rum Point Beach. Here, we are on our way to Stingray City.<br />
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This is Stingray City. It's out in the ocean on a sandbar where the water is probably 3-4 feet deep. There are huge stingrays swimming everywhere. It was awesome and definitely money well spent! <br />
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Our tour guides, Sedrick and CJ were awesome. Sedrick made sure that we all had plenty of opportunities for pictures with the rays. Here he is holding one over his head in order for us to get this shot!</div>
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Our next step was Rum Point Beach. The water was such a beautiful blue green! <br />
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Rum Point Beach Club was a great place to hang out and grab some lunch. We enjoyed Rum Runners, Mango Smoothies, and tried Conch Fritters for the first time.<br />
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The hammocks were our favorite place! We have an amazing hammock that we bought from Key West but have never hung up. After enjoying this one we will definitely be hanging ours up next spring!</div>
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I love these signs!!<br />
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While riding back to the ship, our tour guides played Soca music. One song sounded like it said "I Farted"...and apparently most people noticed it but didn't say anything until the very end of the boat ride. It became our signature song. We now know it's called "Fallin" by KES. But it will forever be the I Farted Song.<br />
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A little towel animal greeted us each night after dinner. I loved them!</div>
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The next day we docked at Cozumel, Mexico at Puerto Maya. We risked our lives trying to get this picture because taxis were constantly driving through here!</div>
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We got a cab to take us to Sky Reef where we would be spending the day. This guy was not very friendly, drove VERY fast, and had 2 skeletons dangling from his mirror. It was a bit scary!<br />
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At Sky Reef we paid $15 to get in which included 1 drink, a 5 minute massage, snorkeling gear, tequila tasting, and beach chair and umbrella! It was a great deal! Here, the guys were returning from a long snorkeling trip.<br />
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We enjoyed some yummy authentic Mexican nachos.<br />
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Our men are so sexy....lol<br />
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Jenny enjoying her massage. I kept trying to talk to this lady, but she would only wink and smile....I finally realized she couldn't speak English!<br />
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Then we headed over for tequila tasting and an overview of tequila. It was very informative and I learned that I actually like tequila (well not the straight stuff...the heavily flavored stuff!)</div>
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Here is Manuel (the guy in front). He told us all about tequila. He said it was his birthday...I think he tells everyone that. lol<br />
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We got a cab ride back to Puerto Maya and saw a Mariachi band playing. I loved it!<br />
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Heading back to our boat, this was our view...these boats are HUGE!<br />
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Well, that pretty much concludes our trip! We had a great time and just relaxed the week away. It was just what the doctor ordered! <br />
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snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-8116603421356108062015-06-02T11:06:00.001-07:002015-06-02T11:06:26.559-07:00The Moving is DONE! Woohoo!We are DONE moving! Can I get an Amen?! What a looooooong, tiring process moving is! I underestimated the amount of things we own and found myself wanting to throw everything in the trash just so we didn't have to move it! lol And don't even get me started on the things my hubby owns that he used for business. Wowzers. We are blessed. And by blessed, I mean, hoarders. So after lots of moving days and one big moving weekend, here we are. And we are adjusting well which is always helpful. I knew we were going to be ok when my kids started complaining when they realized I was pulling into our old driveway so I could clean before handing the keys over to the new owners. I thought they were just being typical kids and complaining. But when I asked them why, they said they didn't want to go there because it was no longer our home. That did this mama's heart good to hear that! <br />
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Moving conjures up all sorts of questions and fears and anxieties and frustrations. I can't tell you how tired I am of looking for things in boxes! And moving boxes around because they are in the way of the box you need to look through. We have lived here one full week and last week was spent trying to get our old house cleaned up and the remaining things moved out. To tell you we were exhausted was a complete understatement. So we pretty much did nothing this past weekend but rest up. We watched movies and spent time together as a family. But this is a new week and now it's time to tackle the boxes. I really don't like unpacking. This house doesn't have the space that we had, so each time I unpack a box I encounter frustration because I don't know where to put anything. Yesterday I worked on unpacking some kitchen boxes and organized the back hallway/entryway. And today I am working in the girls' room. I have made a lot of headway, but still have so much more to do! And to top it off, my oldest daughter's birthday party is this Saturday and we are having the party here. So that's motivation to keep unpacking and organizing! <br />
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I also made a garden! Not nearly as big as the one at my old house, but it's a garden! I just hated to let a summer go by without having one. I saw somewhere on pinterest where you make a raised bed from concrete cinder blocks such as <a href="http://www.isavea2z.com/raised-bed-garden-designs-plans/" target="_blank">THIS ONE</a> And I just happened to have 11 of them! So I used the edge of our concrete patio as one of the sides and used the blocks as the remaining 3 sides. It's not a large garden, but was able to plant several green bean plants, 3 lettuce plants, 3 tomatoes, 1 summer squash, 1 zucchini, 1 spaghetti squash and 6 pepper plants. I know this is nerdy, but it makes me almost giddy looking out at my garden through our patio doors! I will try to take some pics of the garden once the bean plants sprout up. I was also able to take 2 blueberry plants, some red raspberry starts, and several strawberry plants with us. Unfortuntely my peach tree had to stay. SOMEDAY I WILL have an orchard! But for now we will keep things simple.<br />
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As far as our forever home, we are still looking. We looked at a house last week that was a strong contender and we have contemplated putting an offer on it. But something keeps telling me that that house is not the one. So we will wait. I keep wondering if maybe we are too picky. But is it bad to be picky when we will be draining our savings to buy it? We want to make a wise decision but I will admit sometimes I just want to buy the next thing available just to be home owners again and get out of this rental. Then again, the thought of moving AGAIN makes me feel queasy! snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-39057013678551065922015-04-25T17:35:00.000-07:002015-04-25T17:35:42.504-07:00Moving UpdateIt's been a month since I last posted! As the saying goes, time flies when you're having fun, right? I'm totally being sarcastic when I say that. I'm a mess right now. My house is a mess, my emotions are a mess, my sleep habits are a mess, and my schedule has been a mess. But life goes on whether you're tired or not, I'm finding. I relate moving with having a baby. It's a long process but, by the time the big day finally arrives, you are ready to get the hard work over with so you can enjoy the next season of your life. That is me, right now. And I really don't know whether to laugh or cry at the insanity of it all. Things have been such a roller coaster of emotions and happenings. We found a fixer-upper we were going to buy and even made an offer on it, but hit a road block before we could submit the offer. The house was a foreclosure owned by Fannie Mae and since our house was technically sold yet, we needed a letter from our buyers' bank saying that they could afford the house and that they were planning to buy our house. If we didn't have that letter, they would reject our offer. So we waited on the letter....for 1 1/2 weeks. By the time we received the letter, our realtor was on vacation in Florida and couldn't submit the offer until he got home. And before he returned home, we decided to stop by and ask some questions of the owners of the neighboring property. You see, the house we were looking to buy was located in a valley and we had heard that the basement flooded. Since we were planning to make a bedroom for our son in the basement, we decided we should probably check into that a bit more. I mean, he knows how to swim, but it just wouldn't be practical to have a basement flooding often. The neighbors confirmed our worst nightmares...yes, the basement floods and oh, by the way, the house has black mold. Oh yeah, and if you buy it we will want to buy 1/2 of the land from you and expect you to widen the creek in the backyard to help with the flooding. This was among other horror stories they told us about the property's past issues. So we promptly told the realtor to NOT submit our offer. It was a frustrating time having to wait on the letter in order to submit the offer, but now I see it as an answer to prayer and God protecting us from making a bad decision. <br />
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So that left us homeless again. After making a phone call, we finally were able to find a house to rent that is in the township. It's in the country and has no neighbors to speak of. We are able to have our pigs and chickens there and there's a creek in the backyard which provides some relaxing background noise when the back door is open. The owner wants us to live there through the winter so that the house will be heated during the cold temps, which is longer than our plan, however now we don't have to rush to find something to buy. And we are even tossing around the idea of building a house. The money my husband receives from the township will pay the rent and we will have the opportunity to save over a thousand dollars each month since we won't be paying our mortgage payment anymore! <br />
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But the whole thing is exhausting. I now have 2 houses to clean. I now have boxes stacked up the walls in our current house and the walls feel like they are closing in on me. And our house feel so unwelcoming because all of the décor items have been boxed up. We have slowly started moving some boxes and small furniture pieces into the new place and have been contemplating doing the big move next weekend. But we haven't heard when our buyers' closing date is, so we may wait in order to make sure their financing goes through before moving everything out of our current house. But if we don't move this coming week, then we will have to wait 2 weeks before we can because I will be super busy at work with Mother's Day. And honestly I would rather just get the move over with instead of having it hanging over my head. Tomorrow we are moving a ton of hubby's stuff out of the garage and into storage since there is no garage at the rental house. That should make us feel like we are making a lot of progress. <br />
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Through this whole process I have struggled emotionally. I am leaving the house that we have made memories in as a family. This house isn't my dream home, but in the past year or so I finally embraced my surroundings have tried to make our home more welcoming and to appreciate it more. And now we are leaving it. I have realized that my home is not my security. My family can make any place our home simply because we live in it. Renting seems like we are taking a step down on the ladder of success because the house needs a lot of work and is smaller and less appealing looking than our current home. But I have to remind myself that we will be debt-free by selling our house and we will have more freedom financially because of it. If feels like we're starting over. Our kids have struggled with their upcoming new schedules, bus drivers, and have even cried themselves to sleep at night because this is the only house they've known and the future is scary. I've struggled with what people will think of our rental house or even what they will think of the fact that we'll be renting. We've struggled with fear and feeling like we're making a mistake by selling at times. Sometimes I even secretly wish things wouldn't work out with our buyers simply so our life would stay normal. What I really want is for life to slow down a bit so I can catch my breath. I want to know that our decision to sell will be worth it in the end and that we all will adjust to our new surroundings well, wherever that may be. snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-38230174369637611202015-03-26T12:12:00.000-07:002015-03-26T12:12:03.813-07:00It's Official...well, sort of.<div style="text-align: center;">
We are moving. As I type those words I feel a bit nauseous. Since we put our house up for sale last September, I have experienced all kinds of emotions....good and bad. It feels like our future has been so uncertain since then and quite frankly, it's driven me a bit cray cray. After giving up on selling our house by December and deciding that we were supposed to not move, we were contacted by someone who was interested in looking at our house. They came to look at it and seemed totally unimpressed and didn't ask any of the normal questions, so we assumed they weren't interested. A few days later I received a text saying that they wanted to put in an offer on our house! The kicker was that, also in December, my hubby had accepted a position as a Township Trustee after one of the current Trustees had resigned. This was an unexpected surprise because it is a paid position. Which is why we decided we weren't going to sell. Then we had a buyer. Which meant we needed to find a house <em>within the township</em>...which has proven to be no easy task. There are exactly 2 houses for sale in the township right now. The top it off, our buyers are expecting their first child May 16th. We were honest with them and said that if we could not find something in the township we would probably not sell. And they have been patient with us. And I will be honest, I have been afraid of selling our house, uprooting our family, and the unknowns that lie ahead. It seemed as if every option we would look into was terrible or the seller changed their mind. Back in September when we put the for sale sign in the yard, we also prayed that if it was God's will, he would send us a buyer. And he did. I came to the realization a couple of weeks ago that faith means we can't always see past the next step. We can't always see the details or the end result. If we truly believe that God has our best interest in mind and has a plan for us, then we have to trust Him to take care of those things we cannot see. God sent us a buyer and it's time for us to move and I can't worry about the rest. Although I still do from time to time because I'm human. So we visited a house that was outside of the township that is a total fixer-upper. And we are in the process of putting an offer in on it. We actually signed the contract last Friday but it couldn't be submitted until this Monday...and then we found out that we needed a letter from our buyer's bank saying they could get the funds needed to buy our house. And we are still waiting on that letter. But God has a plan. I cannot tell you how badly I want to try to speed things up in my own power! And to top it off, our realtor is going to Florida for a week tomorrow. Which means we will have another full week of no progress on our house offer. It's frustrating, but just a couple of days ago I was worried that we would close on our house before our buyers closed on our old house and we wouldn't have the money needed to pay for our house at closing. But this week of waiting my change that scenario and may just make our buyers loan close before ours now. As it looks now we are tentatively hoping to be closed on our house (or at least have found a place to rent) by the end of April. So I've been packing up our belongings and the memories that we've made in the house we've been in for 13 years...and dreaming about our next home and the renovations that we can do to it and the memories we can make in it to make it Home. </div>
snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-45057780480539144592015-02-24T04:43:00.000-08:002015-02-24T07:17:55.736-08:00Menu-Planning Made Easy!I'm sitting here in my cold, quiet house and thought I'd use the time to write a blog post! The kids are on a two-hour delay with school due to the frigid temperatures and I was *hoping* to sleep in a bit. However my body usually had other plans...it likes to wake up at the same time every morning with our without an alarm. So as I laid in bed telling myself to go back to sleep, Self smelled the fuel-oil furnace running which means only one thing...the fire in the outdoor wood burner is either out or almost out. Since hubby often works very late in the winters and is not necessarily the morning person that I am, I have taken it upon myself to make sure the fire is taken care of each morning...it also gets me some brownie points with the hubs! <br />
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Ok, back to my meal-planning! First of all, let me just say that I <strike>love</strike> LOVE meal planning. I know what you're thinking, and yes I AM weird (just ask my friends), but it seems to be one area in my life in which I am organized. And that makes me feel good. I also think it helps to save money at the grocery store. That makes me feel good too. Up until the past couple of months I mainly just looked through my pantry and freezer to get meal ideas to add to the menu before adding any new meals and jotted them down on a notepad. But I got tired of looking for the recipes I had planned and it seemed like I would always forget ingredients or lose the list. So I decided to devise a new process for meal-planning and thought I would share it with you!<br />
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TANGENT ALERT: I love listening to podcasts. I listen to them during the day when the kids are at school and I'm cleaning or cooking or doing laundry. I love to listen to them when I take walks outside (which seems like I haven't walked outside for exercise in like YEARS since last fall...I miss you sunshine and temps above freezing...) and I love to listen to them on my iPod while driving to work. I came across the <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/" target="_blank">Inspired To Action Podcast</a> last fall and it is my ultimate favorite! (Side Note: I just came across <a href="http://godcenteredmom.com/" target="_blank">God Centered Mom Podcast</a> this week and I equally love it too!). They are both free through iTunes or you can listen to them online via the links above....I give you permission to stop reading this and go subscribe right now. <br />
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A few months ago I was listening to one of the Inspired to Action Podcasts and Kat Lee was talking about how she uses <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.plantoeat.com/ref/6e69fc1dcf%22%20title=%22Meal%20Planning%20Website%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3EPlan%20to%20Eat%3C/a%3E" target="_blank">Plan To Eat</a> (by the way that is my Affiliate Link!) to plan her meals online. It's a site that allows you to keep a recipe book online with all your favorite recipes (either entered by hand or added quickly from any website...even PINTEREST!). You can easily drag those recipes to the days you want on the calendar and then it compiles a shopping list for you. So once you are done planning your meals, your shopping list is ready for printing (with the exception of toilet paper, shampoo and things that are not edible...but you can even add those things to the list before printing!). If you sign up you can get a 30-day free trial to try it out and see if it's something that works for your family. After that, it's $39/year...BUT they often run 50% off sales several times a year (usually around holidays) so I was able to get my subscription for $19.50 a year as part of a Black Friday Sale. SWEET! And what's even cooler is that when I hear of another sale, I can buy it and the year will be tacked on to the end of my subscription so there's no overlapped missed months! There are so many more great things about Plan to Eat, but I will save them for a different post!<br />
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Ok, back to meal planning. So here's what I do...<br />
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1. I look through my pantry and freezer to look for meal ideas. We usually have 1/2 a cow, one full pig, and some chicken in the freezer, so no need to buy meat if I don't have to! I write down some meals that I can make, or mostly make, from what I already have. I also check the previous meal plan to see if there are any meals that I ended up not making and therefore have the ingredients for and can carry over to this menu plan. This happens a lot. I apparently have a fear of running out of meals and plan too many...<br />
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2. Once I have a partial menu made, I look through my favorite go-to recipes and pick out some to add to the menu. I bought an ADORABLE chevron organizer (sort of like a coupon organizer) from the Dollar Tree for...get this....ONE DOLLAR. Isn't it cute??<br />
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Inside, I used the Tabs to put following labels on: Mexican/Pizza, Beef, Pork/Fish, Chicken, Soup/Pasta, Sides/Desserts. Here's a picture of the inside:</div>
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I stuck all my favorite recipes in the appropriate section and this is where I keep them for quick reference each month. If I try new recipes, I just print them out or add the recipe card to the folder. If we try it and don't like it, in the trash it goes! I have TONS of recipes that I have printed and even handwritten that I have never tried so this is a great way to weed through them and possibly find new faves! </div>
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3. Once I have approximately 10-14 meals picked out, I go to <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.plantoeat.com/ref/6e69fc1dcf%22%20title=%22Meal%20Planning%20Website%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3EPlan%20to%20Eat%3C/a%3E" target="_blank">Plan To Eat</a> (affiliate link!) and put those meals onto my calendar. I say 10-14 meals because I grocery shop and meal plan every two weeks. I take a look at the calendar to see what we have planned for the next 2 weeks and plan enough meals accordingly. </div>
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4. Once my Meal Plan is done, I add my staples and toiletries, etc to the shopping list and print it out along with my Meal Plan Calendar and any new recipes that need printed. Here is what my current menu looks like:</div>
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I handwrote two meals at the bottom that I had forgotten to add as extra meals if needed. I usually only plan dinners since we keep breakfasts simple and have eggs, cereal or toast each morning. The kids eat lunch at school and hubby and I usually have leftovers for lunch. I hang this menu on the fridge so I can easily see what I had planned for today's meal. When I make a meal, I highlight it on the menu so I know what meals are still available (I don't always make the meal on the specified day...that would be too structured and boring. lol)</div>
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5. I take all the recipes that are for the current menu and clip them together with these amazing clips I found at the Dollar Tree (I think you get 6 in a pack and they are found in the checkout line of the stores). I LOVE these and have bought probably 4 packs of them! We use them in place of chip clips to keep packages air-tight...and I seriously love their bright colors! I clip all the recipes together and hang them on the side of my fridge on a Command hook. This keeps the recipes all in one place and I can easily find it when I need it! When the 2 weeks is up and it's time for a new menu, I put all the recipe cards back into the file folder and start over.</div>
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I may or may not have an obsession with cute magnetic notepads from TJ Maxx....</div>
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I know this probably seems like a lengthy process, but it's actually been quite quick once I collected all of the recipes to put into the file folder and entered them into Plan To Eat. And it's been fun being more intentional about trying recipes from cookbooks that are taking up space in my pantry and from online (can you say, Pioneer Woman?) I was in a complete cooking rut before and now I am finding recipes that I used to make but had forgotten and new ones that are now our favorites! </div>
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snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-17737515496594230952015-01-26T14:15:00.002-08:002015-01-26T14:15:15.936-08:00My Head is Spinning!<div style="text-align: center;">
Hey guys! Two posts in one month...it's probably a new record for me! I should tell you that I have the best of intentions for posting meaningful enlightening blog posts often. I conjure them up as I'm driving in my van, waiting for my dentist appointment, and as I am grocery shopping (no lie!)...but they never happen. Mainly because I get busy and eventually forget about them. (Mental Note: Do NOT procrastinate any more when I get a blogging idea!) </div>
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With that being said, there have been lots of things going on around the Snyder House! </div>
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Luckily we have managed to stay healthy (with the exception of a few minor colds) and have escaped the Influenza bug that has bitten so many of our friends and family. Even though we haven't been stuck inside with illness, it feels like we have been stuck inside because it's <em>WINTER.</em> Have I mentioned I <em>really </em>don't like winter? Sure the freshly fallen snow is beautiful, but I would much rather stay INDOORS and enjoy it while looking outside through our windows! My hubby's work schedule changes in the winter and I feel like we see him less than his normal schedule and when it snows, I'm lucky to see him in passing for days. Have I mentioned that I need a date night BADLY? Guess it will have to wait until spring because Mother Nature dropped about 7 inches of snow on us over the last 24 hrs. The kids and I have been home the past two days just enjoying being snowed in. And I don't have cabin fever yet! (Have I mentioned I am <strike>getting</strike><em> </em>feeling old?) Ahh, the joys of being middle-aged!</div>
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At the end of December, my hubby was approached about taking a township trustee position and he agreed to a 1 year term. That meant that our income would be increasing, which is always a good thing. Since trustees are required to live in the township coupled with the fact that there had been no interest in our house for a couple of months, we decided that maybe we were supposed to just stay where we were and not sell the house, at least until this year's term was over. And then guess what happened? Yep...someone called about our house. And not only did they call about it and come to look at it, they also gave us an offer on it! Two months ago we would have jumped at the possibility of moving! Now we have mixed feelings. We made it clear to the potential buyers that we needed to find a property to rent or buy in the township or we wouldn't sell. That was a week ago and we still don't have any real leads. I admit, I am getting nervous...and a little excited. I'm nervous because we don't want to make the wrong move (literally!), but excited at the possibility of a fresh start....a new slate of a house to make into our home. (I think I've been watching too many home-improvement shows...) About 75% of me hopes we won't find any place and therefore will have to stay here. Because that's the comfortable thing to do. There's no risk involved. But the other 25% of me is excited to see what God may do in the midst of our situation. Where it looks like there are no options, that's when God moves. And so far we have no options. I'm so conflicted because we prayed that God would send us a buyer if it was His will for us to sell. We have a buyer. Now we need to know the next step in this process. Everything about this says that I should be freaking out, but I'm not. Well, sometimes little bit. But all in all, I'm at peace. But I have yet to start packing.</div>
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I don't think it's a coincidence that I just finished up reading a book on Biblical submission because I have a feeling that I am going to have to put what I've learned into practice real soon. My husband is one of those people who could literally live anywhere and not care. Me, well, I have a bit different set of standards when it comes to where I live. He is looking at a couple of foreclosures and the thought freaks me out a bit. What if the house is trashed and we end up buying it without having seen it? What if my king bed won't fit in the master bedroom? But in the midst of all of those questions, there is an option that is freeing....submission. Submission to my husband and in turn submitting to God because I am submitting to my husband. My husband wants the best for us even if may not always feel like it. I need to submit to show my husband that I trust his judgment and know that he will take care of us. It's not easy. And I've already had to apologize (just this morning in fact!) for freaking out at one of his housing ideas before I really thought things through. But I know that through this mutual submission, our marriage will be better and more unified! I hope to do a future blog post on submission, so stay tuned!</div>
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Well, all three of the kiddos are occupied in one way or another (which means I am experiencing some peace and quiet!!) so I should take advantage of it and get back to working on our tax preparations. I'm hoping to get the tax stuff handed over to our accountant within the next week so I don't have it hanging over my head while dealing with the possibility of moving. I've made some good progress already so I need to keep plugging away! </div>
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Maybe my next blog post will be about where we will be moving to...who knows! </div>
snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-14584476222399996442015-01-01T18:28:00.003-08:002015-01-01T18:28:35.765-08:00Hello 2015! <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Happy New Year!</strong></span> </div>
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I thought I would take a few minutes (or more) to do a recap on the 2014 and also look ahead to the things I would like to focus on in 2015. I love the start to a new year and the feeling of starting over that it brings. Not sure why I feel like I can only start over on January 1st, but I do! </div>
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I originally was going to look back on my post stating last year's goals, but I think I will spare myself some feelings of disappointment of not achieving them all and focus on what I <em>was</em> able to accomplish instead. So here goes....</div>
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<strong><em>Spiritually:</em></strong> I feel like I have grown a lot spiritually in 2014. I was a part of a 1 year mentoring small group with several other ladies. In this group I formed some strong friendships, learned a lot about what true authenticity feels like, learned to allow others to pray for me when I was feeling so low and/or bared my struggles and faults, read some books that stretched me, and had the privilege of lifting others up in prayer. I also have taken on some responsibilities at my church coordinating meals to be taken to those in need. I have dealt with anger towards people who have wronged me and have practiced forgiveness, I have learned that my security does not come from people or things, and I am learning to have open communication with people about difficult things in order to develop real relationships. </div>
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<strong><em>Physically: </em></strong>I have mixed feelings about how I have done in this area. I lost weight in 2014 and reached my lowest weight since having the kiddos. But have also gained it back. I haven't been consistent with my exercising and eating either. But I also have tried to listen to my body more and get more sleep, try not to become anxious about things, and to take some time for myself each day to unwind.</div>
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<strong><em>Marriage: </em></strong>My relationship has grown a ton this year! Saying that does NOT mean that everything has been rainbows and unicorns. In fact, we hit a very low spot this year...probably our lowest ever. But we overcame it and now I feel like we are stronger than ever because of it. </div>
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<strong><em>Financially: </em></strong> I still definitely have room for improvement in this area, but I did make progress. I have a system in place for paying bills, saving, and planning ahead for larger purchases and I can tell that it has helped us financially.</div>
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<strong><em>Friendships: </em></strong> Through my small group that I was a part of I met an amazing gal and we sort of hit it off from the start. Our time spent together has blossomed into a strong friendship. I can be 100% real with her and she does not judge me. She encourages me and holds me accountable. Her friendship is irreplaceable.</div>
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<strong><em>Mothering</em></strong>: Although I wouldn't say I am excelling in this area, I do think I have made some improvement. I have realized the importance of having one-on-one time with each of the kids....even if it's just taking them grocery shopping with me. I also am learning how to better communicate with my 14 yr old and diffuse conversations before they turn into heated arguments. </div>
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Now, looking onto 2015....</div>
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Consistency is key! I have great aspirations but I am not successful because I am not consistent! </div>
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<strong><em>Spiritually: </em></strong>I want to <em>love</em> to read the Bible. I don't want to feel overwhelmed by it. I want to have a daily consistent quiet time reading, learning, and praying.</div>
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<strong><em>Physically: </em></strong>I know I have said this a million zillion times, but I want to reach my goal weight THIS YEAR. Enough already with the nonsense...it's time to git'r done! So that means at least 25 lbs needs to come off this frame of mine. I signed up to run a quarter marathon in May so I will have to exercise! I also want to become consistent with my workouts. Not saying I have to work out every day, but 3-4 times a week would be ideal.</div>
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<strong><em>Marriage: </em></strong>I would like to plan a getaway with the hubby this year. Originally we were hoping to go to the Dominican this spring with another couple, but all that changed when we put our house up for sale. Even if it's not someplace tropical, I would like to plan a long weekend together. I also want to practice submission and showing my hubby respect....even though I'm not completely sure what that looks like.</div>
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<strong><em>Financially: </em></strong>Consistency once again. With paying bills, saving, keeping up with the business books. I would love to set up a budget but I haven't found a systems that doesn't overwhelm me yet.</div>
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<strong><em>Friendships: </em></strong>I want to be more intentional about checking in with my friends to see how they are doing, their struggles, etc. It's easy to let our friendships fall by the wayside when things get busy.</div>
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<strong><em>Mothering: </em></strong>I want to have consistent solo time with the kids. I also want to spend time just having fun with them, being silly, and laughing. I also have a desire to teach my kids the skills they need in adulthood like cooking, cleaning, managing money. I would like to take on a skill each month and focus on it, then add a new skill each month. But I will be honest I am not really sure where to start and I don't want to go too big in the beginning and burn out. I will be praying about this one, but as of now I am thinking I will start with teaching them how to make simple meals and eventually make them responsible for cooking dinner one night a week. </div>
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<strong><em>Random: </em></strong>I want to focus on making our property a homestead where I learn how to better maintain a garden. I would like to plant a couple more fruit trees. I would like to make our landscaping a bit more appealing/easy to maintain also. I also want to continue with organizing my house. I made some progress last year but want to focus on those areas which always seem to get cluttered/messy and figure out a system to keep the mess at bay. </div>
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Well, I think that's all! It feels so good to get that all off my chest! I should print this list off and post it where I can be reminded of my goals. </div>
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Here's to a great New Year!</div>
snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-77995657610407062262014-12-12T04:37:00.005-08:002014-12-12T04:37:50.972-08:00Life Update<div style="text-align: center;">
I will warn you...I have no plan for this post other than to update you on what's been happening in our lives since I posted last. </div>
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No plan = Ramblings. </div>
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I apologize in advance. </div>
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I feel like my life has once again been a blur. I don't even know where to begin. Since my last post we haven't had any interest in our house. This is both calming and frustrating if that's possible. I'm calm because I don't want to move during the winter months. Heck, I don't even want to go outside during the winter months. (I sooo could hibernate and just re-emerge in the spring...) let alone move all of my belongings to another dwelling in frigid temps. This is also the hubby's busy time at work so it just would make things that much more complicated. But it's also frustrating because we were hoping to be moved already. And just this week there has been something that has come up (in a good way) and we are faced with the possibility of staying here and not moving at all. It's craziness, I tell ya! We've been fixing up our house and finishing all those little unfinished projects in order to make our house more appealing to potential buyers and now we may stay here. Not that I'm complaining. We now have the in-floor heat hooked up in the living room (that used to be cold in the winters) and now it's toasty warm and we LOVE it. We also have installed a new kitchen door complete with pretty leaded glass. And the list goes on and on with all the new perks our house has that makes it harder for me to want to leave it! </div>
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The end of November, my oldest turned 14. FOURTEEN. And I'm starting to feel my age because of it. I'm caught somewhere between being excited to see him grow and mature, but at the same time starting to realize that our time with him living in our home is drawing to a close because the next 4 or 5 years will fly by. Have I taught him everything he needs to know to be a successful independent adult? Have I taught him morals, money management, how to clean a house, how to rely on God to guide him? The reality is this: I have my work cut out for me. I only get one chance at this thing called parenting. And yet sometimes I feel just down right CLUELESS.</div>
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A couple of weeks ago, we lost my husband's Grandma Myrtle. She was such a blessing to us all and was the definition of what a good grandma is. She loved unconditionally and was always so welcoming. She loved each of her grandchildren and never hesitated to ask us about what was happening in our lives. Although we could see her health was declining, her death was sudden and was a shock to my family. We were able to visit her a couple of weeks before her passing and I am so glad we did. She told others how much she enjoyed our visit and I am forever grateful we were able to spend that hour with her. Her life and passing has helped me to start thinking about the type of legacy I want to leave with my family. Grandma Myrtle love and laughter will be greatly missed.</div>
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I have gained about 12 lbs. Yep, all the weight I lost last year in back on my body...yuck! I really slacked off on exercising and eating better and it shows. I feel like I'm carrying around about 25 lbs instead of just 12. And I have been battling being oh-so-tired, especially since the evenings are getting dark so much earlier. So I decided it was time to get back to exercising. And I do well for a week and then the next week I slack off. And the next week I do well and the next week I slack off. This is my slacking off week. And just when I decide I need to work out, I get a cold and I can't breathe very well due to congestion. And I'm not sleeping well due to not breathing well. So I'm feeling even more worn out! And since I felt all unenergized to do ANYTHING around here and have had some busy days and evenings my house looks as if it has imploded. Last night I felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack. I have so much to do and no energy or time with which to get it done. And it makes me grumpy. I think I need a vacation.</div>
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And as if that isn't enough excitement, my sister-in-law in moving back to the States from Mozambique. I will admit I am super excited about she and her hubby moving here because I want the kids to have a good relationship with their aunt and uncle and it's hard to when they live halfway across the globe. So that's been a nice surprise for us!</div>
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With all that being said, I need to get the girls up and start the rest of the morning grind before heading to work. There's so much more to say but it will have to wait until another time! :)</div>
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snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-24916171215547856772014-10-28T10:09:00.003-07:002014-10-28T10:09:53.865-07:00PatienceIt seems like I am always apologizing for going on a blogging hiatus....I guess this is just how I roll these days. I thought I would pop in and let you all know what's been going on since I last posted. Unfortunately we still have yet to sell our house. We have shown the house to a few people and we've heard "We love it and will definitely be calling you back!" and then....wait for it....NOTHING happens. I will admit it is very frustrated and I have spent a good morning of the past two months on an emotional roller coaster. One minute I think we've got it sold and then next minute I am planning out our future here because it looks as if we won't be moving. I am learning patience. And I will be honest and say I'm not sure I like it. I am also realizing that I am a bit of a control freak...and I am learning to let go and just LIVE. In the midst of all of this, hubby has been a busy bee finishing all the unfinished projects in our house and I have been busy cleaning and organizing and staging. It's exhausting both physically AND emotionally! <br />
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And today is the day that our contract on our new home runs out. I thought I would be really upset if we reached this day and our house had not sold. But I'm ok with it. I really like the new property, but hubby and I have been weighing whether going deeper into debt is worth it if we won't be able to afford the things we would like to do there (fencing, cattle, a garage for hubby to work out of) or if we should just downsize to a smaller property and have a very low house payment and maybe buy a recreational property somewhere instead. I struggle with knowing God's will in all of this and find myself wondering if God really <em>cares</em> where we live? I don't say that in a mean or disrespectful way...but I wonder if that is really what God deems as important even though we put so much emphasis on where we live? Jesus didn't own a house, right? Maybe freeing up some finances by downsizing will enable to us to be more generous and enjoy life more without having to work to survive. These are some of the questions going through my head lately. And I will be honest...when I think of downsizing to a smaller (and probably way less appealing house), I can hear friends and family questioning our judgment and making comments/suggestions on what they think we should do. I am determined to do what God wants us to do and try (really hard) not to care what others think. But it is a struggle. <br />
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I am also learning not to judge a book by its cover....metaphorically speaking. I am learning that no matter what the situation looks like right now, most often God is working behind the scenes. It's so easy to look at the situation right now and think it's hopeless because we don't have a buyer and we might as well give up on the new house because someone else will snatch it up now that the contract has ended. But that's putting limits on what God can do. I'm not saying that He WILL do them, but he most definitely CAN. He could be speaking to someone right now to call us because the have been contemplating looking at our house. Or God could speak to the owner of the new house to extend our contingent contract. The possibilities are endless! Yet, it's so easy to get caught up in the negative thinking! <br />
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So there you have it....a few of my thoughts about this whole house selling thing! I will try to keep you updated as much as I can, but in the meantime, please keep us in your prayers! snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-68710160518303811462014-09-08T15:43:00.003-07:002014-09-08T15:45:43.823-07:00ChangeThere has been a lot going on in the Snyder House lately! The biggest of which is the For Sale By Owner sign in our front yard! We have been feeling the past year that the time was drawing near for us to start looking for a new place to live. I really like our current property but both hubby and I would prefer to have more land to put out crops, raise livestock, hunt on, etc and the 3 acres we own now just aren't feasible for those things. Despite only having 3 acres, we have tried to use it as best we can to create a more sustainable lifestyle by raising a pig to butcher each year, laying hens for eggs, a garden (although this year was the worst growing season we have had), as well as blueberries bushes, red raspberry bushes, strawberry plants, rhubarb plants, and a peach tree! But my heart longs to do those things on a little larger scale. So we put a for sale sign in the yard and have been busy both looking for a house and making necessary updates/repairs needed in order to sell. And I'm not going to lie, it almost did me in...mentally and physically. I really struggled with leaving this house. The house where we have raised our babies, celebrated Christmases and birthdays, where we have had summer hot dog roasts over a campfire. But God has been helping me to realize that HOME is not made by a house. It's made by who is in that house. I didn't want to give this house up without knowing where our next house would be. I became a control freak. And I cried and worried...a lot. Then one day this past week, I finally had to have a talk with God. I gave up control. And I also came to the realization that staying in our current house would be acceptable too if that's where God wants our family. We have found a house that we all really like that has 42 acres of corn fields, ravine, creeks, and pasture. The kids had a blast exploring during our short time there this past weekend. And I would like to think that it will be our future home. But we can't buy our new house until our current one sells. So for now I just have to trust God and know that He has our best interest in mind. He knows the desires of our hearts. And He has a plan that's bigger and greatly than anything we could ever imagine. So although this change of possibly moving is stressful, the change occurring in me is good!snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-57601074785987773272014-08-21T09:54:00.001-07:002014-08-21T09:54:48.563-07:00Love Skip Jump By Shalene BryanI have an amazing book to share with you! I just finished reading <em>Love Skip Jump: Start Living The Adventure of Yes</em> by Shalene Bryan and I want to recommend that you read it too! I am trying to be more intentional about the books I review for publishers...there's nothing worse than trying to get through a book you don't like just so you can post a review about it! And I'm a busy gal so I just don't have time for that! This book caught my eye because I am boring. I am not an adventure-lover or risk-taker. I like playing it safe and playing by the rules. But it's boring. In an attempt to want to be more adventurous, I decided to read and review this book! I am so glad I did! It really was a remarkable one that I want to keep on my bookshelf for a long time. <br />
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The author, Shalene Bryan, lives in California. I could tell from the stories in the book that her family is well-off financially. Her life dramatically changed when a lady at a dinner party she was throwing, saw the picture of the Ugandan girl her family was sponsoring and asked Shalene if she really believed she was helping this little girl and it wasn't some scam. Shalene had never really thought of it before, but the more this comment got to her, the more the urge to find out for herself grew. Next thing she knew she was on a plane to Uganda to meet both kids that her family sponsored. She not only got to meet them in person, but she was able to see firsthand what living conditions they endured and how the money she sent each month really did make a difference in those kids' lives. This trip changed her life. And out of it her organization Skip1 was born. The organization is centered around the idea of us skipping one thing....buying a new shirt, passing on a Starbuck Latte, not getting take out one night...and using that money to donate to needy people. Even though the amounts seem small, they really do make a difference. <br />
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Each chapter in the book tells a story of loving others, skipping to help others, and jumping in with both feet when God tells us to jump, and the effect it has for God's kingdom. God has come through for her time and time again simply because she chose to say yes. She urges us to ask God to show us what we need to jump for/in so that we can experience those same great miraculous stories in our own lives! <br />
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<em>I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for this honest review. </em>snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-90427325822718659212014-08-13T05:51:00.002-07:002014-08-13T05:51:12.580-07:00GOOD Morning!I cannot believe that summer is almost over and the kiddos go back to school next week! I have enjoyed my time with them but it will be nice to get back on a daily routine. And I will admit that it will be nice to have the house to myself again on my days off! I have a <strike>million</strike> zillion things I want to get done around here and it will be nice to have 6 or so hours of uninterrupted time to attack that list! <br />
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With that being said, I decided it was time to start getting myself on a routine. I am a lover of free ebooks and as I was scrolling through the many I have on my Kindle I cam across one called <em>The Ultimate Morning Routine. How to use the Hour of Power to set yourself up for a productive and successful day </em>by Brian Ledger. That pretty much hit the nail on the head, so I dove in. It's a short book so it didn't take me long to read it and I was able to finish it last night while I sat in the freezing weather (where IS summer, by the way?) during my daughter's cheer practice. <br />
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The main idea of the book is to get up an hour earlier in the morning and spend an hour doing some set things. You list the things you are thankful for. You make a list of insights and things that you want to accomplish that day. You pray for strength and guidance to get through the day and be productive. Then you exercise for 20-30 mins. The book urges you to do that every morning for 21 days so that a habit forms and you will be more likely to continue it for the rest of your life. <br />
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So today was Day 1 for me. I will admit the thought of writing down the things I am thankful for seemed pretty silly and pointless to me. I set a stop watch on my cell phone and sat down with my notebook and pen and started writing. I was done in 2 mins...and I was planning to do 10 mins! I am thinking I was too vague and should be more specific instead of just writing "my husband and kids". But it got me to thinking that maybe I am not as thankful as I should or could be and that I should start being more intentional about looking for things that I am thankful for. To be honest, after that 2 mins, my perspective started to change and I started to feel lighter emotionally. <br />
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Next step was listing my insights. So I started with the heading of "Today I will" and followed up with things like "show respect and kindness to my husband" and "wash down the kitchen cabinets". This took me 7 mins. At the end of the 7 mins, I felt even lighter. Sometimes my head is swirling like a tornado with all the things I <strike>need</strike> want to accomplish and expectations I set for myself. And I will be honest and say that many of them blow away and are forgotten...and never reach my to-do list. Then a day or two later I will have that "Oh shoot! I forgot to..." moment that could have been alleviated if I had just written it down. This 7 mins was a time of quiet and no distractions where I could just empty my brain and get it all out. <br />
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The third step was prayer. I had decided that I would incorporate my devotions into this time too and take longer than 10 mins. Usually I read my devotion and then journal my prayers. But I decided to journal first and follow up with my devotion. I think I liked it! The things I was thankful for and the things I wanted to accomplish were fresh in my mind so it made for a time of prayer concentrated on those things. I read my devotion and at the end of it was a little prayer that really hit home ( <a href="http://proverbs31.org/devotions/devo/his-eye-is-on-the-sparrow/" target="_blank">Click Here</a> to read the full devo) and 14 mins later I was done. The prayer at the end was just what I needed so I decided to post it to my Facebook status so that others could benefit from it too, so I did that next. The book warns against looking at Facebook or reading emails until your hour is finished so that you don't burden yourself with what you read or see, but I was really good at only being on there a few mins so as not to clutter up my just-emptied mind. I was glad to see (after my hour was up) that a couple of friends posted that it was just what they needed, so I am glad I posted it. Facebook is full of not-so-uplifting statuses and drama and world news that I am trying to post more God-centered things and not go with the normal flow. I still post about my life, but if I gain new insight that I think will help others spiritually I post it and hope that it does just that. <br />
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The last step was exercise. I have been wanting to get up and exercise each morning to get it out of the way in case I don't get the chance to exercise in the evenings. And if I do, then I get a double-workout in! Today is sort of gloomy/rainy looking so I didn't really want to head out on a run/walk. I popped in a Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 video and did a Week 2 workout. I wanted to die. Not that it was that difficult. I just wasn't in the mood to work out I guess. And I wanted to punch Jillian in the face because of all of her comments. Some days are like that. But I persevered and finished the 24 mins workout sweaty and breathless. Go me! <br />
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In that one hour I felt like I accomplished those things that really matter in life. I took care of my emotional, spiritual, and physical self. And now I feel like I can take the rest of my day and run with it. I feel focused, which is hard for me most days. I didn't get up an hour earlier because today is my day off, but I plan to start getting up at 5 in order to get my hour in before hubby and the kiddos wake. I work the next 3 days so I will plan to set my alarm for 5am tomorrow (ouch). Luckily I am a morning person and my internal alarm clock adjusts fairly quickly!<br />
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So all in all, so far, I can honestly say it's been a GOOD morning! If you try this, let me know how it works for you! And I will try to keep you posted on how my progress is going over the next 21 days.snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-43918585160853398242014-07-30T19:48:00.002-07:002014-07-30T19:48:59.511-07:00Failures and Labels<div style="text-align: center;">
I was late to work today. </div>
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<em>Poor Time Manager. </em></div>
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There is a HUGE fly (the shiny kind) flying around my house. </div>
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<em>Slob.</em></div>
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When I came home from work today, my house had a not-so-nice smell (the cause is still to be determined). </div>
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<em>Poor housekeeper.</em></div>
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I made cookies on Monday to stick in the freezer for next week when we are at the fair and might need/want a snack. But I keep eating them. Frozen. </div>
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<em>Pathetic.</em></div>
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I was told by my son's friend that their football practice had been cancelled and only the parent meeting was still a go. Come to find out, my husband arrived at the parent meeting (he offered to go so that I could stay home and relax) to find out that practice had not been cancelled AND tonight was uniform fitting. So my relaxing came to an end and off I went with the kids to pick up Misinformant Boy to take them to the school. Here's the Cliff Notes version of what happened...my son came home mad because someone took his #34 jersey from last year and now he has to be #72. He is also blaming his friend (Misinformant Boy) for it. AND there was practice tonight following the fitting. And my husband made me feel less-than-intelligent for believing Misinformant Boy instead of checking with the coaches (FYI-I don't have their contact info yet). </div>
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<em>Naïve. Irresponsible. Worthless. </em></div>
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I tucked my girls into bed and noticed a strange smell coming from their trash can that was nearly overflowing. </div>
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<em>Lazy. </em></div>
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I stuck my head in my son's room to say goodnight and he sort of mumbled a half-hearted goodnight and I can tell that he's very disappointed in how the evening went. </div>
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<em>Terrible Parent.</em></div>
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Every where I look around me lately I see failure. No matter how much I try to do well, the not-so-good seems to be staring me in the face and yelling my name. Soon I can no longer see the things I accomplished well. It's easy to feel like a failure and give myself labels or allow others to give them to me. And after awhile I start to believe them. </div>
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This past Sunday at church, the pastor spoke about labeling. He said most of us think we are pretty special when we are born and as young children...usually thanks to our mother's love and encouragement. Then things start to change and people will put labels on us (either verbally or implied) or we put them on ourselves. We begin to doubt that we can do anything worthwhile. Then the pastor said something so profound. He said that only manufacturers have the authority to put labels on something. Because they created that thing on which they are putting the label. He said that God is the ONLY one that has the authority to label us. Because He created us. How awesome is that? Now, I will tell you I was so enlightened hearing that sermon. Then my busy week hit and has left me feeling pretty wiped out (and it's only Wednesday!) and then today's happenings really threw me for a loop. And the labels started coming back. </div>
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Our thoughts are powerful. The more we think we are <u>fill in the blank</u>, the more we start to believe those labels subconsciously, and we eventually start acting according to those labels. Friends, we need to remember <em>who</em> our Creator is and <em>what </em>He has created us to be! We need to replace those negative labels with labels from the one who created us... </div>
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<strong> Chosen. </strong></div>
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<strong>Fearfully and wonderfully Made. </strong></div>
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<strong> Forgiven.</strong> </div>
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I pray that we both can both believe and find rest in those labels and not allow others (or ourselves) to label us any longer!</div>
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<br />snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-79894326807807685842014-07-08T19:49:00.000-07:002014-07-30T19:19:37.194-07:00Stitch Fix #1 ReviewToday it finally arrived...my beloved and long-awaited Stitch Fix box! It wasn't supposed to arrive until this Thursday, but it came early and that is just fine with me. When I checked the tracking information and saw that it was on the truck and out for delivery, I was stoked! And I seriously wanted to hug the FedEx man, but he dropped off the box and away he went before I could even get to the door. (I'm judging by the speed of his quick delivery that he may have been hugged while delivery Stitch Fix boxes to other style-challenged and excited gals.<br />
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If you haven't heard of Stitch Fix, let me enlighten you! Stitch Fix is an online styling company that will pick out 5 items for you (usually 4 clothing items and 1 accessory depending on what you request) and send you a box however often you would like one (aka how often you can afford one). The sign-up process is pretty in-depth so that your stylist can get a good feel for your size, body shape, and style. Once you have answered those questions you have the opportunity to request certain things and/or tell your stylist about your likes or dislikes. For my first box, I requested a dress or two that would be appropriate to wear to a wedding I am going to next month. I also said that I liked to wear blues and jewel tones. As you will see in the pictures to follow my stylist listened! <br />
After that, you schedule your first fix. Be forewarned that if you are thinking of scheduling your first fix, do so NOW because I scheduled the fix I received today in May and this was the first date available! (Also, if you are interested in scheduling your own fix, please, please, please use my link <a href="http://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3749864" target="_blank">HERE </a>and if you do, I will get a $25 credit towards my fixes!) The cost for each fix is a minimum of $20 (for a styling fee). If you hate all the items in your box, you just pay the $20. If you decide to purchase any items, the $20 is deducted from the total cost.<br />
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Once you receive your fix, you have 3 business days to decide what you want to purchase via online checkout. At checkout, you also have the opportunity to rate each item and tell your stylist how well you liked it, how well it fit, and if you liked the price, as well as any other comments about the item. This will help your stylist to make each fix better and better. Once you checkout, you keep the items you paid for and then you stick the rest of the items in a plastic mailer with a prepaid shipping label and you put it in your mailbox or drop it in a USPS dropbox. Easy Peasy!<br />
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Enough chit chat, time to see what I received! Because I was so excited, I took some pictures...<br />
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Isn't it pretty sitting on my doorstep? </div>
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The style cards that come in each box...one for each item of clothes/accessory that show two different ways to wear the item. This is great for people like me who are a bit (ok, a lot) style-challenged. The top right card is actually a note from my stylist telling me why she picked these items for me and how excited she is to pick out thing especially for me. (She is my new BFF)<br />
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Here's what I saw upon opening up my box. Let the fun begin!</div>
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<strong>Dylan and Rose Dovette Draped Detail Dress - $68</strong> </div>
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I really like this dress. The fabric is super light-weight which would be great for the wedding next month. It's also super comfy! It's hard to tell in this picture but this dress has sort of a sash of extra material that runs from my left shoulder to the right side of my waist. I have seen others who received this dress wear it with a thin belt and it looks cute that way too. </div>
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Verdict: Like it, but not sure I want to pay $68 for it...however I could see many uses for this dress because it could be casual or dressed up a bit with jewelry. </div>
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<strong>41 Hawthorne Abrianna Longsleeve Knit Cardigan - $48</strong></div>
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This cardigan is also lightweight and super comfy. </div>
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Verdict: Undecided...really like this one but it depends on what I decide about the dress above. Update: I kept the cardigan and love it! The only thing I DON'T love about it is that it is handwash only! Bleck.</div>
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I think this cardigan looks super cute tied at the hips too!</div>
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<strong>Kensie Jeans Sophia Tall Length Skinny Jean - $88</strong></div>
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<strong>1 Hawthorn Eldridge Star Print Wrap Scarf - $28</strong></div>
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Let's just get something out in the open...I do not have skinny legs. And I am self-conscious about them. So me and skinny jeans have never become friends. So I was a bit nervous about trying these on. First of all, they fit way different than my normal Maurices Curvy jeans. The best way to describe it is that they were swallowing my calves! I could have used an installation tool to get these on. The waist fit fine...but the legs were way tighter than I am used to and can tolerate. Not to mention, the price is more than I want to pay if I don't really like them. When I modeled them for a friend, she assured me that I can pull skinny jeans off, but I am not yet NOT wearing them. </div>
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Verdict: Buh-Bye</div>
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I was excited to receive a scarf (mainly because I wanted there to be something on the cheaper side in case I didn't like anything else so I didn't lose my $20), but I do not like the color of this scarf. It says it's pink but it is more of a peach....a color I NEVER wear nor look good wearing. The design itself it sort of cute and the fabric is super thin and cozy. Despite the color, I also have a hard time wearing scarves...especially in the warmer months. </div>
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Verdict: Sending it back.</div>
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Allie, however looked really cute in this scarf! </div>
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<strong>41 Hawthorn Roni Geo Detailed Lace Sheath Dress - $88</strong></div>
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This one surprised me. When I saw the lace I was instantly disappointed. Lace is not something I normally wear. Ever. When I think of lace, I think of old church ladies or something. When I tried it on, it wasn't as bad as I thought. It's a little more fitted than what I would like and it's above the knee which makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. This dress has a polyester lining with a layer of lace on top. The back of the dress has a section of unlined lace at the top with a single button and keyhole opening. So far everyone likes this dress the best, but it's a bit too warm to wear to an August wedding and it's also a bit too fancy for my tastes. I can't think of another place to wear it other than a wedding. But it did make me feel pretty!</div>
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Verdict: Since it's too fancy for 99% of my life and it's $88, pretty sure I am going to send this one back.</div>
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At first I was disappointed in my box...mainly because of the two $88 items and the fact that everything with the exception of the scarf was blue. I was hoping for a bit more variety in color. But then I remembered that I had told my stylist that I liked to wear blues and, since she probably suspected that I wouldn't purchase both dresses, she sent two blue dresses. The more I tried the items on, the more I liked them...or was at least more open to wearing them instead of instantly hating it. I was hoping for more shirt options, so I think I will ask for more shirts in my next box. </div>
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All in all, I think was a really fun experience and hope to get more fixes in the future!</div>
snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-41111849452797748212014-06-03T05:44:00.000-07:002014-06-03T05:44:07.710-07:00Hellllo SUMMER! (Finally)<div style="text-align: center;">
Ahh...Summer is here!! School let out last Friday for summer break and we've been loving that summer is finally here after a VERY long winter and a weird, cold rainy spring! We spent the weekend doing summer things like opening our swimming pool and weeding and planting the garden. On Sunday we hosted my daughter's 10th birthday party with some of her friends and grandparents and it was really nice. We set up tables in the yard and the kids swam while the adults chatted. </div>
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Monday I got up at 6 with my husband to get him off to work on time, then sat down in my comfy chair to do some reading before the kiddos go up....and I started falling asleep! So I snatched up the opportunity to crawl back into bed and SLEEP IN!!! I woke up at 8:30 and it was nothing short of glorious! </div>
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Yesterday was my daughter's actual birthday and I didn't want it to feel like a let-down compared to Sunday's birthday fun since I had absolutely nothing planned for the day, so when she mentioned wanting to go shopping, that's what we did! We headed to the outlet mall about an hour from home and she had so much fun shopping with her birthday money! The rest of the evening was spent at a 4H meeting and more swimming, as well as ice cream sundaes and a late night movie. (I'm still trying to decide on a reasonable summer bedtime for the kiddos) </div>
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This morning I got up early with my husband again to pack his lunch for work (and even got a thank you for it today!!) then went for a 2.5 mile walk/run. My inner whiner was really telling how I should just do other things instead, or workout tonight, but I overcome and the whiner was silenced as I walked out the front door! It felt good to get out and move despite the extreme humidity!</div>
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Every summer I have great plans to keep us all on a daily routine, but have yet to actual follow through with it. Last night I sat down and decided to make up a tentative schedule to keep things running smoothly and to make sure that our chores and housekeeping items were being taken care of too. Here's what our schedule looks like:</div>
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9am: Breakfast</div>
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9:30am: Get dressed/Make Beds/ Shower/ Brush Teeth</div>
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10am: Feed animals (and divided up the animals amongst the 3 kiddos)</div>
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10:30am: Bookwork/School work (The older two will work on their 4H books and the youngest will work on writing a letter to a friend in Texas.) Eventually I will give them worksheets with math skills on it to keep up their skills over the summer. During this time I plan to do some bookkeeping for our business.</div>
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11am: Housekeeping/Laundry Chores (I have a weekly cleaning schedule that we will refer to and assign tasks according to what needs done) During this time I will also work on folding and putting away some laundry.</div>
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Noon: Lunchtime & meal cleanup</div>
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12:30 - 2:30pm: Free Time (to swim, play outside, make a craft, play a game)</div>
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2:30-3:30pm: Quiet Time (this time will be used to unwind a bit and take naps or read a book silently)</div>
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3:30-4pm: Read Out Loud as a family. I have always wanted to read a book together as a family, so this will be a great time to! I picked up <em>Little Women </em>and WOW is that book BIG!</div>
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4-5pm: Dinner Prep (I will try to incorporate the kiddos in helping with setting the table, and helping prepare the dinner meal. I would also like to start to teach them to make simple meals themselves this summer so they can cook when needed.)</div>
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6pm: Dinner</div>
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6-9pm: Family Time</div>
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I am really hoping this works out well for my family this summer! So far, our summer is off to a GREAT start!!</div>
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snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-74928046963759024782014-05-20T06:34:00.001-07:002014-05-20T06:34:28.684-07:00Why Date Nights are ImportantI am a firm believer in dating my spouse. If you work and/or have kids, you know that life can get crazy. Very crazy in fact. And my life is no exception. It is so easy to feel disconnected in your marriage and feel as if you are living in a roommate situation instead of living as husband and wife. And when your marriage reaches that point, it's easy to withdraw from your spouse...not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. I have been there too many times. Sometimes I simple date with your spouse can turn things around and bridge those feelings of disconnect. <br />
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My hubby and I have come to realize the importance of dating each other. We try to have <em>at least</em> 1 or 2 dates a month. We <em>need</em> them and would do them weekly if our schedules allowed for them more often! Most often we go to dinner, but sometimes we see a movie. And since there is a Lowe's store in the nearby city where we most often go to eat, we almost always end up spending a portion (and sometimes far too long) in Lowe's shopping for supplies for whatever our current project is. Is that romantic? Nope. But we are spending time together (trying to find mirror hangers when even the sales associate doesn't know where they might be), making decisions together (should we paint the porch swing in Gentle Wave or Aqua Ocean?), focusing on a common goal (on how to make more functioning storage in our master closer), dreaming together (of the deck we want to build sometime in the future). And somehow in the midst of all those paint swatches and 2x4's, we find our spark again. The spark that so easily gets buried under busyness, unmet expectations, laundry and lawn-mowing. The spark that reaffirms that we are in this together, and together we can overcome anything that comes our way. The spark that gets us through until our next date. <br />
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If your marriage is feeling strained or just lacking excitement, I urge you to give dating a try. I know some parents of young kids (and sometimes even older ones) have a hard time leaving their kids to spend time together....they want to take the kids along. DON'T! Don't feel guilty and don't take them along! I promise you that you will not get the same benefits as you would if it were just the two of you. One of the best things we can model for our kids is a healthy happy marriage. Kids feel secure when they see that their mom and dad love each other! And when our marriage is thriving, it naturally trickles down into our parenting, our homemaking, our friendships and other relationships in our lives. And dates don't have to consist of leaving your home or spending money. Sometimes we get a sitter for the kids and just stay home, make pizza or popcorn and watch a movie. You could take a walk around your neighborhood. You could just go our for dessert instead of paying for the price of an entire dinner. Go hiking at a nearby state park. Take a bike ride on the nearby rails-to-trails. Make a fire in the outdoor fire pit and have s'mores. Lay in the hammock (or the kids' trampoline) together and look at the stars. <br />
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In addition to our one day/night dates we also try to go away for a weekend alone together at least once a year, but try to shoot for twice. Our most recent weekend getaway was to Latrobe, PA. This was our second year in a row visiting here! We went two years ago and stayed at the <a href="http://www.willowhousecottage.com/" target="_blank">Willow House Cottage</a>, which we fell in love with upon walking in the front door. (Not to mention, the owner is super nice!) <br />
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That year, we saw a waterfall, natural water slides, and learned some history about Ohiopyle, PA, and toured<a href="http://fallingwater.org/" target="_blank"> Fallingwater</a>. <br />
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One evening we had amazing candlelit Italian dinner at <a href="http://www.denunziosrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Denunzio's</a> which is located inside Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and our table overlooked the runway. Here is where I also found my most favorite wine ever from <a href="http://www.stonevilla.com/" target="_blank">Stone Villa Winery</a>! During that trip we also visited Johnstown, PA and toured the flood museum. And I even conquered (ok, not really) my fear of heights by riding the <a href="http://www.inclinedplane.org/" target="_blank">Inclined Plane.</a><br />
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So this past year we decided to go back because we were craving that Italian meal and to stock up on some wine, as well as to visit the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/flni" target="_blank">Flight 93 National Memorial</a>.<br />
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I am almost out of wine already, so we should probably plan another visit back there soon! As I type this, those fond memories flood my mind and I am reminded of just how important those weekend getaways are to both of us! Next year, celebration of our 15 wedding anniversary, we are planning to take a trip to Punta Cana for a WEEK! We have only ever gone on a week long vacation without kids (besides our honeymoon) one other time, but it revolutionized our marriage. We don't take those week long getaways as often as I'd like to, but I would need to get a 2nd or 3rd job in order to finance them! <br />
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My hubby and I had a date day yesterday. We were both off of work and spent the entire day together. We really enjoy each other's company and he truly is my best friend. And the example from Lowe's listed above? Yep...those were the decisions we were making in real life! We probably spent 2 hrs in Lowe's, but I didn't care (that is, until my stomach started letting me know it was lunchtime). We were together. And that's the best place to be.<br />
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snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-82936361300803381242014-05-20T04:21:00.000-07:002014-05-20T04:21:02.354-07:00Living Life Undaunted by Christine Caine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gcfgg3P4TJ4/U3s6WCCB0QI/AAAAAAAAAnM/g6gE0lGNIxQ/s1600/_225_350_Book_1159_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gcfgg3P4TJ4/U3s6WCCB0QI/AAAAAAAAAnM/g6gE0lGNIxQ/s1600/_225_350_Book_1159_cover.jpg" /></a></div>
I was so excited when I saw that this devotional book was available for review! My small group was currently reading Christine's book, <em>Undaunted</em>, and I loved it so I couldn't wait to receive this devotional! It is wonderful! There are 365 readings that are dated so you can read one each day of the year and follow along. Christine's words urge us to move beyond ourselves. To be fearless. To live out the purpose God has for our lives. And He has one for <em>each of us</em>. We just need to trust that God can and will use us to fulfill that purpose. The devotional is broken down into 4 sections; one for each quarter of the year: Broken, Loved, Empowered, Commissioned. And each quarter's readings are centered around that one-word theme. I have really enjoyed this devotional and look forward to reading it throughout the year!<br />
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<em>*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through BookLook Bloggers in exchange for this honest review.</em> snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-19048407608711051112014-04-15T12:39:00.001-07:002014-04-15T12:39:18.848-07:00How's Your Running Going?<div style="text-align: center;">
Well, I have had a busy last couple of weeks, but honestly, when <em>aren't</em> they busy? It's like the days just fly by and it's a real struggle to remain intentional in my living instead of just flying by the seat of my pants (which happens most often). </div>
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After the busyness of last week, I have to admit I was feeling very optimistic about this week since I have 3 days off from work. My cleaning schedule sort of fell by the wayside last week and I was in survival mode just to get the laundry done and food on the table. So where some people cringe at the thought of MONDAY, I sort of get excited because it's like a new chance to get my act together each week! Ha! I know, I know, I'm sick. </div>
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Yesterday I got out of bed with renewed energy and ready to get to work in my house. Then my daughter got up saying she didn't feel good...and she still had a rash. She woke up Saturday morning with a mysterious rash on her arms and torso. Along with the rash, she was saying her belly hurt and she had a headache. And her throat hurt when she coughed. I did some research online and sort of narrowed it down to Fifth's Disease...for which there is no treatment and since the rash is evident, she was no longer contagious. However, my mom-worrying took over and I was feeling the need to rule out that it wasn't Strep. So off to the doctor we went. And the strep test came back negative. And the doctor said it was Fifth's. So I was feeling a little frustrated that I had spent the whole day (ok, not the <em>whole </em>day, but a good portion of the day) driving to and from the doctor. So I didn't get as much accomplished as I would have liked....but I was able to get the bed sheets washed, so progress is progress, right? </div>
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Today I got up and got everyone off to school and work, ate my breakfast, and sat down to read out of my new devotional I am reviewing, "Living Life Undaunted" by Christine Caine. My spiritual life has sort of been on hold as the rest of my life has been crazy. I hate to admit that, but it's true. So today I decided that I wanted to once again focus on having a time of devotion and prayer daily. The devotion I read today really hit home with me because it pertained to running. I would like to share the devotion with you...</div>
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<strong>A Designated Lane</strong></div>
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<em>Do you not know that in a race all the runner run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. </em></div>
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1 Corinthians 9:24</div>
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God has a plan for our lives even before we were born. He had a lane marked out on the track of life with our name on it and a specific race for us to run. God has plucked each one of us out of eternity, positioned us in a certain place in time, and given us special gifts and talents for the purpose of serving our generation. There are certain things he wants us to achieve while we are on this side of eternity.</div>
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When we stand before God on day, we will have to give an account of what we did with our lives. God will want to know what we did with the time he gave us, what we did with the talents he gave us, and what we did with the treasure he placed in our hands. </div>
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Therefore, it's imperative that we all ask ourselves these questions:</div>
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* Where am I in my race of life?</div>
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*Am I running my race in <em>my</em> lane pressing on for the prize that God has for <em>me?</em></div>
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*Am I crawling along somewhere, stumbling and tripping, not really knowing where I'm going?</div>
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*Am I running in my lane but distracted because I'm looking around to see how others are doing?</div>
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*Am I envying how others are running their races and what lane God has placed them in?</div>
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*Am I collapsed somewhere along the way, because discouragement, disillusionment, and disappointment have caused me to stop running?</div>
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*Have I become a spectator who sits in the grandstands watching the race I should be running?</div>
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*Have I been sidelined by a sin that has left me feeling guilt and shame?</div>
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*How can I get back in the race, ready to run and win?</div>
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Moment of Reflection</div>
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<em>Are you confidently running in the lane God has purposed for your life?</em></div>
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Like I said, this devotion hit home with me. As I read the beginning verse, I was stuck on the last part...<em>run in such a way as to get the prize. </em>If you have never ran in a race before, this probably doesn't mean much to you. But for those of you who have, you understand what it takes to run in such a way to get the prize. It takes a whole lot of effort on your behalf. It's more than just running the race for fun. It's serious. To win, it's going to take pain. Sweat. Perseverance. Determination. And supernatural strength. You see, it's easy to run a race knowing that you aren't going to win the prize. You don't push yourself as hard as you could and you can relax a bit and just enjoy the race. But to win, you have to focus on the finish line and run with all you've got. </div>
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And that is how God wants us to run in the race of LIFE. Not that we can't enjoy the race. But we have to be determined to run the race well, using the talents he's given us, keeping our eyes fixated on the finish line. </div>
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As I read through the questions in the devotion, I felt convicted because I haven't been running the race well. I've let the busyness of life get in the way and cloud my view of the finish line. I want to do better. To be better. It's time to lace up my running shoes and get into <em>my </em>designated lane. Will you join me? </div>
snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8695447339557298249.post-30092211748861312702014-04-03T07:22:00.002-07:002014-04-03T07:22:51.785-07:00This Mama Can Clean!!<div style="text-align: center;">
I know I have disappointed some of you (namely ONE of you...you know who are you...lol) because I haven't posted recently. And I really have no excuse. My life is a constant flow of motion that I should be used to by now...but when things get busy, blogging unfortunately gets put on the back burner. And I will be honest, sometimes I just don't know what to write. I don't want to bore you with the daily happenings of my life...I want my post to be something life-changing for you. Ok, maybe not <em>life-changing </em>(although that would be awesome!), but something that inspires you to do better, to be better, to make changes in your own life...maybe even make you laugh a little! Well, sometimes my thoughts just aren't that deep and usually are more like, "Hmm, I wonder what we should have for dinner tonight..." So that is why I haven't posted. </div>
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So, what's new with me? I'm so glad you asked! My brain is once again full and I am feeling the need to fill you in...aren't you lucky?! Here goes....</div>
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For starters, I have a CLEANING SCHEDULE! I wrote that all in capital letters because I am squealing with excitement that I: </div>
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1. Actually made one up AND typed it AND printed it out</div>
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2. Am actually USING it!!</div>
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A friend of mine has voiced her struggles with keeping up with her house cleaning and laundry while caring for her small children. She came across a book that taught her the importance of having a weekly schedule and said that it was really becoming helpful. And me, who is always looking for ways to make my life run more smoothly, really liked the idea. I have had trouble with regularly cleaning my house and honestly was ready to just throw in the towel and accept that I would never have a clean house until the kids had moved out and taken their messiness with them. When there are 4 people making messes (hubby included) and only 1 person cleaning them up, it's bound to create a cleaning deficit, and it did in the Snyder House. I had tried posting chore charts for the kids, complete with page protectors and dry erase markers, but this resulted in the kids doing their chores half-heartedly (or sometimes not at all), yet miraculously every chore got marked as completed each day. Epic Fail. </div>
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Enter the new and improved Snyder Family Cleaning Schedule. I decided to divide my house into rooms and assign specific rooms (or certain tasks) to specific days of the week. Here is my current schedule:</div>
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<strong>Monday:</strong> <strong> Office Work & Errands.</strong> This is the day that the checkbook gets balanced, the desk gets tidied, the bills get paid, the groceries are bought, the deposits are dropped off at the bank, etc.</div>
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<strong>Tuesday: Living Room, Porch, </strong><strong>3+ Loads of Laundry</strong><strong>.</strong></div>
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<strong>Wednesday: Bathrooms & Foyer</strong></div>
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<strong>Thursday: Bedrooms & Remaining Laundry</strong></div>
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<strong>Friday: Kitchen. </strong></div>
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<strong>Saturday: Decluttering, Menu Planning, & Family Time. </strong>On this day I will choose an area to declutter/organize. I will also plan my menu and grocery list for the upcoming week. The rest of the time will be spent spending time with family or doing projects at home.</div>
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<strong>Sunday: Rest & Family Time</strong></div>
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I typed up this list, but also added specific jobs that would need completed each week. For example, on the living room day, I listed Dust, Vacuum, Tidy, Tidy Bookshelf, Sweep Porch, Tidy Porch. I also added a place for each load of laundry completed as well as for each load of dishes washed in the dishwasher. My ultimate goal is for this list to be used for both me and everyone else in the family. When the kids gets home from school, I won't need to tell them what chores to do. They will look at the list and pick something that hasn't been completed already. This way, each room gets attention each week. There are days where not all the things have been marked off...but that's ok. I highlight the item when it's been completed so I have a record of it and can do some of the extra tasks when I have time on other less busy days. I just put this into practice this week and so far it's going well! </div>
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I am also planning to make up smaller cards for each room in the house with more detailed instructions on them for the kids to use as a reference. For example, when cleaning the bathroom, it will list all of tasks in that room and what cleaner to use and what a complete thorough job looks like so they can't speed through it doing a half-hearted job. </div>
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<strong>Exercising</strong></div>
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In addition to my new and improved cleaning schedule, I am also implementing a new exercise regimen. I am feeling a bit flabby and as you know, this has been one long hard winter. I had all but given up on being able to exercise outdoors ever again because winter just refused to leave...but this week, SPRING ARRIVED! And it is oh so wonderful! I have renewed motivation (and energy!) to move my body and burn some of this buttah that has accumulated over the winter months. I don't really have a plan or schedule for exercising, but I am just trying to make a conscious effort to move my body more...and to sweat more when I do. I am not sure anyone likes to push themselves enough while exercising to induce pain or immense sweating, and I had been quite accustomed to get through a workout without sweating at all...and hardly getting my hard rate up! Shame, shame!</div>
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So this week, I have: </div>
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walked 4 miles,</div>
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did an 18 minute circuit training workout (that you can find <a href="http://www.pbfingers.com/2013/09/11/quick-n-sweaty-boot-camp-workout/" target="_blank">HERE)</a>, </div>
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1 hr of walking with just a small amount of running,</div>
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and a 25 minute treadmill workout (5 min warmup and cool-down and 15 mins of running at 5.0mph) along with some weight training afterwards. </div>
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Not too shabby since it's only Thursday! I am starting to feel the time crunch before vacation to slim down and firm up...only 10 more weeks until we go to the Outer Banks! (yay!) But the thought of wearing a bathing suit IN PUBLIC sends shivers down my spine. So time to get proactive!</div>
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<strong>Menu Planning</strong></div>
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As you know, I am following the <a href="http://www.trimhealthymama.com/" target="_blank">Trim Healthy Mama plan</a> in order to eat healthier and lose this last 15 pounds. I was sort of in a rut with my cooking and needed to expand my recipe collection so last weekend I sat down to prepare a menu plan for this week. I accounted for all meals including a snack each day. I have a binder that I keep all of the recipes I print out for THM, so I took the recipes that I would be using this week and moved them to the front of my binder so they would be easy to find when I was ready to make dinner. I used a printable menu planner and typed up my menu and posted it on the fridge. I tried to plan more labor-intensive dinners on days when I didn't have to work and easy meals for those busy evenings.</div>
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Then I used those recipes to compile a list of ingredients that I would need to buy along with some staples...toilet paper, toothpaste, etc. Then on Monday (because that's Errands Day) I headed to the store with my list in hand. It felt great to know that I would be coming home with items that could actually make full meals for an entire week instead of randomly throwing things in the cart only to get home and realize I had nothing to make meals with! </div>
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When I make a meal, I highlight it on the menu on the fridge so I can easily spot those meals that I haven't made yet. If I don't plan ahead (by thawing out a particular meat, etc) and have to switch meals around or I am in the mood for a different meal than what is planned, I choose another one from the menu. Easy Peasy! </div>
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All of these changes are really making me feel like I can control the chaos in my household a bit and streamline things each week. I am hoping that each week that I follow my cleaning schedule, menu planning and exercising, it will get easier and easier and eventually the Snyder House will be working like a well-oiled machine.</div>
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One can hope, can't they? </div>
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snyderpartyof5http://www.blogger.com/profile/12831460214484081667noreply@blogger.com0