Reflection of You - 5 Fact Friday

Five little interesting things about me...

1. As of today, I have walked at least 20 minutes 1,192 days in a row. Which is something like 3 years and 3 months plus a few days.

2. This weekend we are giving our four season porch a makeover. Something I have been wanting to do for the last nine years.

3. In February I gave up Diet Coke, specifically I gave up aspartame which is the artificial sweetener in diet pop. I don't really miss it. Sorry Kim :)

4. I LOVE old playground toys...

5. My mother is not the best cook in the world. So I pretty much taught myself how to cook. This was my first cookbook, and I still have it.

Have a great weekend! Check out all the participants for this linky party at Reflection of You.

Five Findings Friday

1. I found that if you are a Cable Company Customer Service Representative sitting behind the counter  eating mini pretzels when I come in and then ask me with your mouth full of chewed pretzel "if you can help me" you might not be the smartest man in the place. And you may be surprised by my lack of faith that you WILL have the capabilities to "help" me.

2.  I found that if you are a furniture salesperson and you act like a normal "not too friendly" just nice person, and treat me like a normal person instead of a $, I will buy furniture from you, and I will come back to buy something else from you in the future. Little shout out to Hope at Talsma Furniture in Holland. New couch coming soon...

3.  I found that no matter how long you are out on a photography adventure, be it 5 minutes or 2 hours, the best shot will be one of the last ones you take.

4. I discovered that some people still have record players and records. And that 1970's fashions will always be bad.

5.  I found that I miss my on-line photography related classes and can't wait for Kim Klassen's new one Round Trip to start in September.

Happy Friday Everyone!

Morning Thinking

I do most of my major thinking on my early morning walks with the dogs. I love the early morning because it is quiet, with very few people out and about yet.

Our early mornings have been getting a few minutes later each day due to the lengthening night and the shortening day. I don't mind the darkness but it is very hard to pick up dog poo in the dark. Soon I will need to suck it up and wear my headlamp in order to keep my "early" mornings early.

I am always pondering something in the morning, whether it is what I have to accomplish for the day groceries, appointments, what to make for supper or what to do this weekend.

This morning I had a bunch of blog post ideas running around in my head. What always frustrates me is that I will think of these great sentences for a post, but by the time I get home I have forgotten the exact wording and then the sentence isn't so great anymore.

So today I tried something different, I pulled out my phone and started dictating my thoughts and sentences in the note section on my phone. That worked like a charm, one hand for the dog leashes and one for my phone. 

It is so nice to be writing this now, looking at the notes on my phone and knowing I got those sentences exactly the way I wanted them when I was doing my thinking this morning.

*Day 21 Prompt: Think  from Ali Edwards' 31 Things Class

Line in the Sand

As women we all have that line in the sand. The line that we don't want to cross. On the other side is a number. A number we don't want to reach. That number signifies gained weight.

I have been standing too close to my line in the sand lately.

In my mind I have many reasons why I am too close to my number:

--- I retain water like a sponge

--- It's been too hot to exercise as much as I would like

--- I'm Italian, me and food were made to go together

--- We are never home at the same time to make good meals

--- It's easier to eat out

--- I can have french fries just this one time

In reality though, these are just excuses.

It's time to put the excuses aside and get serious again. So I have made a commitment to:

--- Drinking 4-5 16 oz. glasses of water per day

--- Doing some serious hiking at least twice a week

--- Picking the healthiest option on the restaurant menu

--- Continuing my daily walks and yoga

--- Just being more active

I know this will be a constant battle my whole life.

The good news is, after starting to put these positive things in action last week, I am slowly backing away from that Line in the Sand.

5 Fact Friday

I missed the last couple of 5 Fact Fridays. So happy to be doing one today.

1. As of yesterday, I am the mother of a certified Starbucks Barista.

2. I love hiking in my Five Finger shoes.

3. I love Oven Roasted Asparagus.

4. I LOVE Barns.

5. I got to drive a BMW for a day last week. This will not be a regular occurrence.

Have a great weekend everybody :)

What We Carry - Both Visible and Invisible

What do you carry on a weekly basis?

Purses - As women, most of us carry purses, loaded down with all of life's necessities.

Laundry - There is always too much of it, but it must be done.

Fresh Produce - For those of us lucky enough to have a local Farmer's Market, we can carry home fresh produce.

Shopping Bags - Filled with items needed either for us or for our family.

Groceries - Every week we carry groceries into the house from the car, another life necessity.

There are many things that we carry that are Invisible as well...

Children - We carry our child/children in our hearts always.

Passion - We carry our passions deep inside of us.

Dreams - There are so many things we dream, but yet are afraid to share.

Tension & Stress - Women carry a lot of tension and stress in their necks and shoulders.

Fear - We carry fear like a heavy weight around our necks, the fear of what ifs...

What are you carrying this week?

*Topic: Carry - Day 20 of Ali Edwards 31 Things Class

5 Findings Friday

1. I found that time goes by way too quickly...

August 1997 - Age 3
Just before starting her second year of preschool

August 2012 - Age 18
Just before starting her second year of college

2.  I discovered fresh air. After six weeks of air conditioning it is so nice to finally have the windows open again.

3.  I found a puddle for the Paisleys. They were soooo happy to finally get out of the closet.

4.   I discovered iPhone love...

5.  I found some labels are misleading. Each time I have returned my blueberry box, they looked stunned to see it and don't know what to do with it. And I have never gotten $.50 off my next box of blueberries.

5 Fact Friday

There is a fun link up going on at Reflection of You Blog - so I just had to play.

These are 5 fun facts about me:

1. I am the daughter of a beekeeper.

2.  I dislike crowds.

3.  Rides that twirl make me vomit.

4.  I do yoga almost every morning.

5.  I have worn glasses since 7th grade.

Okay...all these facts might not be fun, like the vomiting one, but they are 5 true facts about me.

1.  I found all these boxes in the storage room that I have been saving for college care packages. I probably won't send 7 care packages first semester. Well maybe... I do like to send care packages.

2.  I discovered that a visit to Starbuck's for a Vanilla Rooibos tea is a good way to pass the time while waiting for your daughter's very late train to come in.

3.  I learned that Amtrak trains are NEVER on time. Mallory's train is the first one listed on the board (#8), and YES it was over 5 HOURS late. I think the trains that are listed as "ON TIME" lower on the board are fake trains.

4.  I discovered that shopping for back to school stuff is an absolute joy and very productive when your daughter is happy. She is still basking in Montana afterglow.

5.  I observed that the super flexible lady from my yoga class (#3 on my list from last week) didn't do any of those crazy stretches this week. Do you think she reads my blog?

Listen

For the last five weeks I have listened...

Listened for a ping on my phone signaling a text.

Listened for that specific ring tone; Red Tea. So fitting for the girl that loves tea.

Listened to a voice filled with excitement as she recounts her day's adventures.

Listened to the stories about people and places on the reservation where they spend their days.

Listened as I heard about others on the summer project with her. Feeling as though I am getting to know them through her voice.

Listened as I heard a part of her heart falling in love with Montana. A part that was left there, to grow, so that she can return to reclaim it. 

Listened last night with joy in my heart as that voice shared stories and adventures from the backseat during the three hour ride home from Chicago. Finally, attached to that voice is the presence of my beautiful girl.

*Day 19 topic for the Ali Edward's 31 Things class