the doodlebug.

I made it blogging once or twice a month this year (minus January) and frankly, am amazed that I followed through. Finishing posts out for 2017 in the nick of time!

Here were my goals for 2017:

1. Read bible assignment daily and write notes. SO much YES! I started going to bible study in January twice a month and have learned so much. I also started meeting once a week in the mornings with friend that has been willing to teach me even more. I can't say enough about how this has changed me for the better. 
2. Learn BodyPump 99 and embrace instructing. Turns out, this has been harder for me than anticipated. I did pass instructor training, apparently 4 times is a charm? It's been difficult to focus on learning new tracks to teach, it's truly a daily commitment that I have a hard time doing. Still sticking with it and will see how things go this year. It's definitely taught me a lot about my muscles and that consistency is key! 
3. Family Blog Creation: I'd played around …

Just popping in tonight to get a November post in, oops! I've come across a few readings that I wanted to remember. Neither of these necessarily listed below relate to the other.

I've been reading Jen Hatmaker's book: "Of Mess and Moxie" and she said this in relation to everyone walking a difficult path in life right now:

We have breath in our lungs; still standing. We have people who love us; still standing. We have a God who spends all His hours making broken things whole again; still standing. We are smart and resilient and so very funny and capable, and the days ahead of us stretch unwritten, unsullied, untarnished: still standing. That's our moxie. We have everything we need. 

I've been listening to the sermons from Eagle Brooke Church and he said this:
"Your ability to reach your potential in life is going to be directly related to the people you've surrounded yourself with." He also mentioned you have to be intentional about reaching ou…

My grandpa has been gone 18 years this past August, but out of the blue today I realized it was his birthday. Before I went home tonight, I stopped and slipped a note under the water jug at his grave - is that weird? Probably, oh well. I then felt like I needed to do something, so I picked all the long grass along the grave, I started to wonder if I could bring my weed whacker out there. Don't you think that makes other people crazy? I couldn't help but then think of my grandma and the fact that she went on to live 17 years alone. I always knew she was a tough cookie and I'm not quite sure I could've gone that long alone. I think I was about to enter 7th grade in '99 and I'm kind've amazed at how blurry my memory is of the day of his funeral. I think I had dyed my hair an awful shade of red and I vaguely remember walking to the cemetery and holding my grandma's hand during the funeral. That's about it. I do have lots of good memories growing up with…

Anyone feel like all of a sudden you were at the pool (er, I mean back yard sprinkler) and then the next weekend there were football games?

Roz started Kindergarten a few weeks ago already and really loves it. She even has her first wiggly tooth! Johnny tried to convince her to let him pull it out, although I'm not sure it's wiggly enough to be pulled - nor do I want her to ask me to do it - yuck!

I turned 32 this weekend and I don't think I'm even sad about it - life is pretty good. Although lately I've had these weird "what if" thoughts: "what if I get cancer, what if the kids get hurt, what if Johnny gets in an accident." Anyone else feel like that sometimes? I know my mom is reading this - sorry :)
I'd just like to put us all in helmets and bubbles, that should do the trick.

Just checking in with a few updates since last time, I need to put a sleepy girl to bed.

Throughout the past week I'd thought about this post and everything I could included in it - but I'm learning that I should've kept notes because I can't remember anything. I'll give it my best shot!

1. Beachbody On Demand (BOD): this program has been so fantastic for me and challenging me to try new things. Let me back up, BOD is an online platform with multiple types of workouts for anyone and all that can be done at home. I also try (emphasis on try) to follow the eating recommendations they have, essentially it's taught me how to eat a balanced, clean diet. It's been so much fun learning new ideas and how to eat while still enjoying life.

2. Bible Study: What a great group of ladies that know so much more than I do, but they've welcomed me in to learn more. I've even allowed myself to consider one day going on a mission trip to Uganda with them, although I may not go soon, I've started learning about what the trip would mean.

3. My job: :)

An…