Just some photos of my favorite girl just being adorable.
one of my favorites of the two of us
that smile gets me everytime.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Hi Five for Summer
Last summer I had a lot of fun accomplishing my summer bucket list and I wanted to come up with some fun things for me to do while in the midst of moving this summer (hello July), going to watch babies for a week (younglives love it) and of course finding things to enjoy everyday. On my list for this summer is:
1. Go swimming at least once a week – I love to swim it is my favorite exercise and normally my family and friends join me so it is fun social time as well (Get ready Willoughby’s I will be over a lot this summer)
2. Take a photo trip to DC. – It’s so close and lots of cool things to take pictures of, maybe a night when it isn’t quite as hot or during the day with lots of tourists around. And I think this will help me become a better photographer. Along with that it has been years since I have been to any of the DC museums and they are free!
Not just paint a picture but take one
3. attend an outdoor concert or play – there are a couple of them in the area and I think it would be fun for an evening out, even better if it is free.
This is from one this past spring where my niece showed off her dance moves, looking forward to more.
4. Go to the Drive In – Something about watching movies on the big screen until 1am that just says summer to me
5. Host a game night in my new place before the end of summer – motivation to get unpacked and of course have some more fun!
Weekly Letter
Dear Friday, So thankful that you are finally here. It has been a busy week and I need a weekend oh so badly. Dear packing and spring cleaning, you’re the worse but I have to get you done July 1st will be here sooner than I know. Dear friends I haven’t seen in a while, I had the best time this week catching up. Dear The Office, I will miss your Jim pranks the most.
Dear weather, thank you for getting prettier the evening spent at the balloon festival with my niece, dad & sister was more than lovely.
Dear Haircut, you need to happen now. Dear scrapbooking night, I’m so excited for some social crafting tonight. Dear lovely graduates, I’m working on this toast of yours and I’m hoping that the words I share with you express how much you mean to me and how proud I am of you.
Linking up with 
A way with words
Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth but only what is good for encouraging others at that moment (Ronda’s paraphrase of the NASB)
So this verse has been hitting home with me and making me rethink my talk, my attitude and why do I say stupid things. I have a problem and that is when I hear curse words constantly then I want to say them. For example at work I hear some words that do not bear repeating and then when something goes wrong it is the first word that pops in my mind and then I have to try my hardest to not say it out loud and sometimes I fail. Sometimes I fail a lot. I am working on this constantly. Right now by outside of work blocking those words from my life in what I choose to watch on tv or in the movies. I have also been convicted lately about not using my gift of encouragement. I have found it easy to complain and find fault instead of lifting others up and finding their strengths. I like to find strengths in others, it makes both of us feel better about things in the end. One of my favorite books for this is How Full is Your Bucket. I love filling my bucket by encouraging others. I need to get back to doing that. To encouraging those that I work with, volunteer with and our friends with. To let them know that I think that they are excellent. Because it is true I do think you rock (moppets workers I really do think you are terrific and couldn’t have done this year without you.) I think this verse hits home even more for me because words is my love language. Send me a note or quick email and it makes me feel loved and appreciated. Though I have been struggling to show love that way and I want to more.
So this verse is going to be applied this summer in 4 ways: I am giving up R rated movies for the next 3 months, I am going to spend more time in God’s word (thanks to She Reads Truth devotional), I am starting a gratitude journal (3 things everyday) and I am going to send 2 cards a month to friends, family , coworkers, co-volunteers with encouragement in there. I would appreciate any and all prayers on my behalf because I know it is going to take Jesus changing my heart and attitude to make this change.
Matthew 15:18
But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart (NIV translation)
Top Ten Tuesday: Blog Love
Love ya darlings!
I love reading other blogs, they inspire me, get me thinking, laughing, and sometimes just fight the boredom of lunch at my desk. Here are a few of my current favorites:
Blogs for Dinner Ideas
Blogs I read everyday
Blogs that make me laugh
4. Your my favorite today (Hot Hollywood Hell is my favorite)
5The Daily Tay (I don’t miss her Friday with the best week ever)
6. The Face Baby (If you looking for a girlfriend later I have a cute niece!)
Blogs that inspire me
7. Royal Daughter Design – wisdom in her words and she is helping me to meet my prayer goal this year with her prayer dare challenge and accountability.
8. The very worst missionary - Putting things into perspective and has a great outlook on life, church and missions.
Beautiful Pictures and a way with words
Picture Perfect Weekend
It all started on Thursday night with a little dancing in the park
She has the dance moves that you would be so jealous of and a serious love for music. Asking for more as soon as the one song stopped.
Then on Friday, wish-fulfillment in a lovely beach day with my sister and a friend.
There is something about being by the water that is utterly relaxing to me. I needed this to be sure on Friday and can’t wait to go again.
Saturday was filled with my first 5k. I walked it and was proud of myself and my mom for being able to finish it.
Before the walk with some friends.
Mid walk, taking it pretty seriously
After the walk feeling proud and looking a little bit like a smurf with a bad spray tan. If you have the chance to do a color run I recommend giving it a try. It was a fun way to get some exercise in and though it was extremely crowded everyone was in a good mood.
Then we celebrated Mother’s day together as a family.
My mom & niece, they are so cute
My mom & sister, the two mom’s in our family. They are terrific.
I hope your weekend was amazing too.
The one about my mom
With mother’s day being this weekend I was going to tell you about my mom. Tell you how much I love her and love the ways that I am like her. Tell you that she is a great mom and always has been. You know those people who say they were born for this well my mom was born to love others and she does this with her whole heart and has a blast along the way. She is the best mom. My mom is always up for a adventure and is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. I love you the mostest mom!
Mom & sister showing off their cool goggles
Tea time
Goofy pictures with mom
Can’t you see how much fun my mom is in all these pictures, I know she is the best!
