Joy Cometh in the Morning

2010-04-14T08:20:00.003-04:00

So, I am jumping into the weightloss world hook, line and sinker! Not only will I be spending a lot of time working out at the YMCA, I will also be working there! I can't think of a better environment to be in! It will be encouraging to be around likeminded, health conscious people most of the time! The kids are excited - unlimited use of the pool! Doesn't take much to make them happy!

2010-04-13T07:49:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I am way over due on my weightloss update! March 16th I went to the nurse at the YMCA and she measured my body fat percentage. I really like the body fat percentage because the scale is not my friend! For some reason the numbers on the scale don't move very fast for me! It is some scientific thing that I can't really understand. There are some who say that muscle weighs more than fat, so when you are working out you are gaining muscle and losing fat. Some say that muscle does not weigh more than fat. It depends on what you read. Opinions are like belly buttons! Every body has one! So, I am choosing to focus on the body fat percentage which was down 5% in a month. As long as that percentage is moving in the right direction I am not going to worry about the numbers on the scale.

2010-02-25T11:45:00.002-05:00

I woke up this morning and jumped on the scale. It was down 4 pounds! My weight is now 228. I am very excited about this. My eating has not been perfect. I have been struggling with the little cheats. But the exercise has been good.
here is my exercise schedule:
Monday: cardio sculpt, kickboxing, and body sculpt--this covers cario and weight training

Tuesday: awesome abs and kickboxing--covers cardio and strength training

wednesday: recovery day

Thursday: kickboxing and spinning--covers cardio

Friday: cardio sculpt

Saturday: Boot camp-- cardio and weight training

Sunday: recovery day

My goal is to do cardio 5 days a week and weight training 3 days a week

This is a definate commitment and I can only do it with the help of my Lord and Savior!

The good, the bad, and the ugly!

2010-02-23T12:30:00.004-05:00

This is my before picture. I guess I could have smiled, but I just got back from the gym.
I saw the nurse at the YMCA yesterday. She did my measurements.
The Good: I am actually sticking to it this time! This is why I chose to post my progress on my blog. When you post something for the world to see you are more likely to follow through. I am hoping to help myself and others who may be struggling with the same issues.
The Bad: measurements--42.2% body fat. I need to lose almost a whole person! waist--49" hips--49.5".
The Ugly-- Well, there is no ugly because I am "fearfully and wonderfully made!" At least that is what I am telling myself out loud to try to silence the voices in my head!

Psalm 139:14
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works,And my soul knows it very well.

SNOW!!

2010-02-17T09:33:00.005-05:00

We had a "big" snowstorm here in southern Georgia! They called it the winterstorm of 2010. I thought that was funny considering how much snow the rest of the country was getting. The only state that didn't get snow was Hawaii. Poor Austin- stuck in Hawaii with no snow!

The first day of the rest of my life!

2010-02-11T08:23:00.003-05:00

Something very exciting happened to me the other day at the YMCA! I was in an excercise class that I had been to several times and the teacher, who is a personal trainer, offered to be my personal trainer and nutritionist for free! I have often thought it would be nice to have a personal trainer, but never could afford it. She said that she saw I was trying hard and it would benefit both of us. I know she wants to use my story for her portfolio, but I am ok with that!
For as long as I can remember, my weight has been a struggle for me. Even when I was 18 and weighed a whopping 110 pounds! Oh, how I wish I was 110 pounds again! Now my current weight is 232. That is a scary number. So, keep reading and celebrate with me as the scale goes down! Tuesday will be my weekly weigh in day. I will post my measurements tomorrow.
As a side note, for those of you who think you can't afford a gym membership, the YMCA offers a scholarship program. They will mail you an application if you call them. I would not be able to go if not for this scholarship. It is a wonderful thing!

Back in America

2009-12-28T09:54:00.004-05:00

Finally Austin is home from Iraq. Well, not actually "home". He is in Hawaii. I sure wish I could have been there for the ceremony! I hope you enjoy the article and the picture!

65th Engineer Battalion Soldiers Return Home
United States
Description:
Family, friends and loved ones honored more than 330 Soldiers of the 65th Engineer Battalion as they returned from a 12-month deployment to Iraq. The Soldiers marched into the Multiple Deployment Facility to the screams and cheers of loved ones as the theme song to the movie "Rocky" blared over the sound system. The engineers just finished up a year-long deployment to Iraq, where they were based in Tikrit and supported the 25th Infantry Division with general engineering and route clearance missions.

The "First in, Last out" battalion has a distinguished history, including the defense of Oahu following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, and heavy combat throughout the Pacific during World War II. The 65th Engineer Battalion also fought in Korea and Vietnam, earning Presidential Unit Citations.

Wright on Time: Arizona

2009-11-28T21:04:00.002-05:00

"Discover all 50 states with Nadia and Aidan! First stop, Arizona! The Wright's homeschooling RV adventure starts with exploring a desert cave. Nadia can't wait to find minerals and see rock formations. Aidan wants to see bats. He finds something mysterious buried in the rock-what could it be? What was that glowing thing on the wall? Where are those voices coming from? What do you do with toilet paper in a cave? And just what is a stale egg mite anyway?" (excerpt from the back of the book)

Price: $12.99

Put out by: Wright on Time Books

Images:

Video:

Links:

http://www.WrightOnTimeBooks.com/store
http://www.WrightOnTimeBooks.com

First, I would like to say thank you to Wright on Time books for allowing me the opportunity to review this book. It is a very well written, educational book. My children, both girls, enjoyed this book immensely. I enjoyed following the Wrights on their many adventures in Arizona. The book is full of interesting facts about the state. I was especially excited about the glossary in the back of the book in addition to the pages of extra facts about Arizona. The addition of those two things made the book even more valuable educationally.

"This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Wright on Time books for this review."

2009-11-24T15:07:00.002-05:00

Blog Tour, Product/Book Name: Five Star Publications- Girl Talk

Price: $15.95

Put out by: Five Star Publications

Images:

Links: http://www.fivestarpublications.com/girltalk/

Thank you to Five Star Publications for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I found this book to be a very easy read. It is full of practical advice that covers a wide variety of topics. The topics range from "Friend Talk" to "Travel Talk" and a large range in between. It is put together with little snippets from the lives of well-known women such as: Sally Struthers, Lucie Arnaz, Shari Belafonte and Jamie Lee Curtis.
I found some of the advice in the book to be somewhat superficial but over all it was a good book.

Rattlesnake Rules

2009-10-29T18:49:00.006-04:00

As soon as this book came in the mail we were very excited to have the opportunity to review it. The colors are vibrant. The pictures catch your attention immediately. We loved the little details in the pictures such as mamas necklace, sisters hairbow, and brothers football. Loved the idea of reinforcing the "rules." A child can relate to that from their own lives of having to obey the rules.
It is always a good idea to educate our kids about different kinds of snakes that can harm them and to give them ways to tell the difference between a harmless snake and a dangerous one. I give this book a big thumbs up for this reason.

http://www.fivestarpublications.com/

http://www.fivestarpublications.com/book_detail.php?recordid=111

http://www.fivestarpublications.com/rattlesnake/index.html

Price: $12.88

*This book was given as a complimentary copy to Mama Buzz Reviewers by Five Star Publications.

The Blue Umbrella

2009-10-28T19:26:00.002-04:00

The Blue Umbrella: A Novel

*This book was given as a complimentary copy to Mama Buzz Reviewers by David C. Cook and Mike Mason, for blog tour and promotion purposes.

The Blue Umbrella: retails for $14.99

Ages 9-12
"

The Blue Umbrella (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1434765261?ie=UTF8&tag=mamabzzcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1434765261)

Mike Mason (http://mikemasonbooks.com/)

Free Excerpt of The Blue Umbrella (http://mikemasonbooks.com/2009/09/08/excerpts-Enjoy a free excerpt of this book at Mike Mason's website.

The Blue Umbrella, by Mike Mason from David C. Cook on Vimeo.

from-the-blue-umbrella/)"

We were very excited to get this book in the mail and to have the opportunity to review it. My 12 year old daughter loved all of the vivid colors on the cover and could not wait to read it. She read it very quickly. She really didn't get the feel that it was a "Christian" book.
When I read it, I was impressed right off the bat that there was a scripture on the cover page and in the first couple of pages there was a reference to the story "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"; but the book quickly took a turn for me. It reminded of me of A Series of Unfortunate Events." It seemed very Harry Potterish although I was happy that there was no "spell casting". Over all, it is not a book that I would have chosen to buy for my children.

School Daze, School Daze Good Ole Golden Rule Days.

2009-10-27T08:19:00.002-04:00

Going back to college at age 38? That can be quite a challenge. My husband, Robert has decided that he wants to do just that. Last night he had his final meeting before starting classes. All of his financial aid is in place and his schedule is made. He is taking Intro to Sociology at the school and English online. I am so very proud of him for taking this step! It is going to be quite a challenge to work full time and go to school full time. Classes start November 12.
He is going to school to be a Physical Therapist Assistant.
If anyone is contemplating going back to school, I recommend that you do it now. Do not put it off. Time goes by so fast!!

New Button!!

2009-10-26T08:19:00.002-04:00

A very special thank-you to Angie for making this button for me!! Visit her blog at MyFourMonkeys.com. I love the simple elegance of this button!

Patriots Day

2009-09-11T07:50:00.002-04:00

Today is Patriots Day. I remember where I was and what I was doing when I saw the terrible tragedy unfold on the Today Show. I usually think the question, "are you sitting down?" is overdramatization. I am not a very dramatic person and can handle all kinds of stress and bad news, but I remember having to sit down for this. This event caused a lot of people to sit down. And more importantly it caused a lot of people to drop to their knees and pray to the God that they haven't talked to in a long time. Someone once said that anything that drives you to the heart of God is a good thing. This is so true.

Patriots Day takes on new meaning for me this year because my son is fighting on a foreign land. He is fighting for our freedom and the freedom of those over there. I am thankful that he is in Iraq now and not when the war first started. I am thankful that he is in Iraq now and not in Afghanistan. Let us never forget all those that have lost their lives in the 9/11 tragedy and all those that have lost their lives fighting for our countries freedoms.

Tax on coupons?

2009-09-10T13:20:00.002-04:00

I found a great deal at Kroger! If you buy 3 boxes of Kellogg's cereal, you get a free gallon of milk. The deal is limited to two per visit. I had a lot of Kellogg's cereal coupons, so I estimated my total would be around $12.00 for 6 boxes of cereal and 2 gallons of milk. Not bad.

I had never shopped at Kroger before, so I went there and got my store card. Shopped for my items and was pleased.... Until the cashier rang up the items. Did you know that Kroger charges a tax on coupons? I have never heard of this. I was very pleased with my total of $11.75, so in the grand scheme of things the .21 that I had to pay was nothing to squabble over. But still....Tax on coupons???

2009-09-05T09:19:00.003-04:00

Hannah and Austin at Six Flags.

This is a picture of all of us at the airport. It was so good to have my whole family together again after 7 months.

2009-09-03T14:36:00.000-04:00

65th Infantry Brigade Memorial Day Shout Outs on ESPN!!

2009-05-28T11:41:00.002-04:00

http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=60760
I was so excited to see this! Just wanted to share it with my friends. Well, the world actually.
From a proud Army mom

You can take the girl out of Beaufort, but you can't take Beaufort out of the girl.

2009-03-18T15:42:00.003-04:00

Robert signed the lease yesterday. We are moving to a tiny town just outside of Savannah. The town is called Bloomingdale. I have high hopes for Bloomingdale. I am sure flowers will bloom in Bloomingdale! The town is approximately 2000 people. Autumn pointed out that our new town is the same size as our church! Interesting trivia.

I love my parents!

2009-03-17T16:33:00.002-04:00

2009 Commodore
2009 Commodore, Wilmot Schott and his wife Julie

Wilmot Schott was named 2009 Beaufort Water Festival Commodore after serving as a volunteer for over 20 years. Wilmot began as a committee member for the Water Festival fishing tournament in the 80?s, eventually becoming the event chairperson. He has served as a Water Festival Director since 1998 and has been a Water Festival Coordinator for 7 years beginning in 2002.
Wilmot is married to Julie (Mickel) Schott, a former Water Festival Pirette. During the summer of 1974 Wilmot and Julie had their first date during Water Festival week. His entire family has been involved with the Water Festival for several years. Julie has been a Director and a Pirette Chaperone. Wilmot and Julie have three children, Rainey Stoute, Joshua Schott, and Rena Barton. Daughter, Rainey, and daughter-in-law, Brooke (McBride) Schott, have both been Water Festival Pirettes. Son, Joshua, has volunteered with the fishing tournament, kayak and raft races. Daughters, Rena Barton and Rainey Schott have volunteered at headquarters and with Children's day. Wilmot would also like to recognize his Mother-in-law, Myrtle Mickel, for all of the support she has given to help out with festival such as sewing, cooking, and laundry services.
Wilmot's memories of the Beaufort Water Festival have been everlasting. Wilmot expresses it "I would like to thank the community for all the memories of years growing up in Beaufort County and I hope I can give back as much to the community as it has given to me".
A Beaufort Native, Wilmot is the Senior Building Inspector for the Beaufort County Building Codes Department. Wilmot has been involved in the past with the Women in the Outdoors program, Ducks Unlimited, and the South Carolina Waterfowl Association. He is a 2004 Leadership Beaufort graduate. Wilmot is frequently found behind a barbeque grill or oyster steamer, volunteering to cook for many community fundraising events.

Modest Fashion Week

2009-03-09T16:17:00.003-04:00

Please visit the link above for some interesting reading on dressing modestly. If you have been shopping with girls lately, I am sure you can relate and could use some advice.

Lot's wife

2009-03-02T16:45:00.002-05:00

One typical homeshcool morning the subject of Lot's wife came up. The girls wanted to know if Lot's wife went to heaven or hell. Well, I didn't know the answer. So in typical homeschool fashion we googled it to find out the answer. The answer that we found was that she did go to hell. But so much more was revealed to me through that study. It never occurred to me that she looked back because she loved her "stuff". And I also never realized that she possibly looked back because she didn't trust her husband as a leader. Both of these things struck me really hard. Do I love my stuff? Do I trust my husband as a leader?
At one point I can say that I did love my stuff and that I did not trust my husbands leadership. God has shown me so much lately. Stuff is just stuff and none of it matters in the grand scheme of things. Who are the Jones' and why are we trying to keep up with them? It is so much more important to raise a Godly heritage than to gain stuff!
I will no longer be like Lot's wife. I will trust my husbands leadership. He is an honorable man in so many ways. So many times I have taken the reigns (checkbook) away from him and not allowed him to lead. This has squelched his self-confidence as a leader. We will be going through a lot of changes over the next few months and first and foremost, I am trusting God. Secondly, I am trusting my husband.
I am thankful to God that he can teach me lessons in the everyday moments of life.

Interesting Reading

2009-02-26T16:18:00.001-05:00

I thought this was a great article. Once I sought advice from our Pastor's wife on some things that were going on in our home and the advice that I got stunned me. She told me that this is what happens when we allow sinful things to happen in our lives. Not what I wanted to hear, but very thought provoking. How right she was! I wanted her to tell me how justified I was in being angry, but she didn't. I am thankful for the people in my life who "Speak the truth in love". You know who your are!! Dr. Laura’s Blog » Chaos Theory

2009-01-05T20:24:00.004-05:00

I am the mother of a soldier ~ A child who's gone to war ~ He's out there fighting bad men ~ Upon another shore ~ While he's gone I'm waiting ~ For his safe return ~ In my arms to hold him ~ Is all that I do yearn ~ I am the mother of a sailor ~ He sails upon the oceans ~ Watching o'er the waves ~ Prepared for a commotion ~ He's always standing guard ~ Above the deep blue seas ~ Prepared to do his best ~ To keep our country free ~ I am the mother of an airman ~ Who flies the clear blue skies ~ I watch each plane above me ~ Oh Lord, please hear my cries ~ Don't make my child your hero ~ And take him home to you ~ Please keep him safe and bring him back ~ Is all I ask you do ~ I am the mother of a marine ~ He is the first man out ~ To watch out for the enemy ~ To lead the convoy route ~ We know he is a brave one ~ He saved a life today ~ Please walk beside my son dear Lord ~ And keep him safe I pray ~ I am the mother of a guardsman ~ Who plays the weekend war ~ At least that's what they told me ~ He was enlisted for ~ But since this war began ~ His weekend never ends ~ He has a busy schedule ~ Protecting all his friends ~ I am the military mother ~ Who sits at home and prays ~ Each and every soldier ~ Comes home safe today ~ Let this war be over ~ Let them put their guns away ~ This is what a military mother does ~ Sits at home and prays(Tommie Bruns)

Soul Patrol

2008-12-06T16:59:00.005-05:00

Autumn-top Hannah-bottom

singing their hearts out!

Autumn-top middle Hannah- bottom left

FRIENDS WHO PRAY

2008-11-26T16:28:00.003-05:00

Lately, I have been awestruck that anyone would would actually take the time to pray for me. A simple one sentence e-mail from a friend that said "I am praying" has humbled me greatly. In my own personal life as I walk through the day I will see certain people and whisper a little prayer for that person. At night when I pray a list of names come to my mind and i will pray for different people and different situations. But to think that people actually pray for me and my family-- well, that just blows me away. I mean, I know I have a church family that loves me and I guess I always had a "head knowledge" of the fact that people prayed for me because that is what they were "supposed" to do, but to really GET that people care enough to pray for me because they love me, well, that is a different concept altogether. A concept that I really need to grasp. This glimpse of love is just a teeny-tiny fraction of how great our Father's love is for us.

So, friends, during this Thanksgiving Holiday, I am thankful for you!!

And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
Hebrews 10:24

The Lord restored the furtunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold.
Job 42:10

Nothing to say?

2008-10-30T20:06:00.002-04:00

Well, I usually have something to say, but I haven't been saying it.
Robert has been recovering from hernia surgery. When dad is home from work, there is no schedule. He is doing good.
God has been faithful to meet all of our needs. If only we were as faithful to Him as He is to us.
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches the skies.
Psalm 36:5

It's Official and she made the sign to prove it!

2008-08-17T19:31:00.004-04:00

Flashback: Feb. 6 Austin went to Basic training.

Autumn: Can I have his room?

Mom: No (still holding on to kid number 1 leaving the nest)

A few months pass by:

Autumn: Mom, can I have Bubba's room?

Mom: (still holding on) No

A couple of weeks ago:

Autumn: Can I have my own room?

Mom: (finally facing reality) yes!

So, it is official. Austin has left the nest. Autumn and Hannah are enjoying their own rooms and their own messes. No more contests about who makes a bigger mess and why the other should not have to clean it up. I would say now that they have their own rooms, they are equally messy!

My daddy is the Commodore!

2008-07-24T17:05:00.004-04:00

My dad is the Commodore for the 54th annual Waterfestival. He has worked very hard for many years for this honor. I realize that the Waterfestival is very controversial among many of my friends, and there are many activities that I won't attend; but I am still very proud of my dad. He is a very honorable man in so many ways.

So, Dad, I just wanted to pay tribute to you. I love you and I am proud of you . Thank you for being such a great dad!!

UNKNOWN ARTIST

2008-07-15T17:24:00.006-04:00

Can anyone guess who this unknown artist is?
Here is her latest painting, that she so thoughtfully painted for Hannah's room. Very beautiful, for a girl that loves black she did a great job with the colors!!!! The lime green in the background is actually Hannah's wall color.

Identity revealed: Yes, it is the infamous
Brittany!!

'.....and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship; to devise artistic designs....'

Exodus 31:3,4

Modest Bathing Suits

2008-07-08T19:11:00.004-04:00

It is so hard to find a modest bathing suit. http://thehomespunheart.blogspot.com/ has a contest going right now with http://landsend.com/. They have generously donated a $120.00 gift card for her contest. The bathing suits are very fashionable and modest. One of the best things is that you can find their bathing suits in all kinds of sizes. Their catalog has a guide telling you which suit is best for your figure. Please visit the homespun heart to participate in this great contest.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

2008-07-04T16:02:00.004-04:00

Happy 4th everyone!

Little birdies leave the nest

2008-06-29T19:00:00.004-04:00

When little boys grow up to be men they have to leave the nest, BUT DO THEY HAVE TO GO TO HAWAII?? I guess they do when they join the Army.

The art of CVSing!

2008-06-08T21:45:00.003-04:00

Finances have been weighing heavy on my brain for the past few weeks! So, I was very excited to come across moneysavingmom.com and be to be introduced to the art of CVSing. It is a lot of fun! Here is my first try. I think I did pretty good. Spent 10.00 out of pocket and earned 4.00 in extra care bucks which I used the next day. I don't have a picture of day two, but I bought a bottle of Tide and Excedrin Migraine for $1.19. That was pretty cool.

Mother's Day

2008-06-08T21:13:00.003-04:00

Two days before Mother's Day I came home from work at 11 p.m. to a very special present.

Actually, this was my Mother's Day present. I was very surprised. I have wanted a new comforter for awhile. My husband knows how much I love lots of pillows on the bed! He did a good job! He even got rugs for each side of the bed.

2008-05-10T18:50:00.000-04:00

'For I know the plans that I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'
Jeremiah 29:11

Graduation

2008-05-10T17:42:00.000-04:00

Big Brother

Oops! Grinning in formation! This is one of my favorite pictures.

Our American Soldier

This was the first time we got a glimpse of them. They came out of the woods and surprised everyone.

Austin's graduation from Basic Training

2008-05-10T16:45:00.001-04:00

I cannot begin to explain how awesome the graduation was! The excitement and pride that his father and I felt, the pride and joy on our only son's face! I was just in awe of the stories that he told and the happiness that I saw in his eyes.

2008-05-07T07:42:00.001-04:00

We survived the birthday party. It was a lot of fun! We had a great group of girls here. But I have to say, if my sister-in-law had not been here, the t-shirt painting would not have gone so well. Here are some of our creations:

2008-04-21T07:43:00.000-04:00

Today is the day!! We are leaving to go to Oklahoma to see our son graduate from basic training. We can't wait. He called and said they have had some rehearsals. They had a concert the other night and they played Proud to be an American and Austin said a lot of people were crying(of course he didn't say he was crying!). A few weeks ago we were watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition (a family tradition in my house) and they were playing An American Soldier and I was crying my eyes out. My kids thought I was crazy!! This is a crazy, emotional experience for me. I can't wait to see him!!

Birthdays

2008-04-17T08:30:00.000-04:00

Today is Autumns 11th birthday. I can't believe how time flies. We have a very busy day ahead of us. We are finishing our science project (last minute as usual) and cleaning the house to get ready for her slumber party tomorrow night. We are expecting about 10 little ladies. Let's hope we all survive! We have planned to make pizzas, decorate cupcakes, make beaded necklaces or bracelets, paint on t-shirts and make cookies, and as a very last, last, last resort, we will watch movies. Then Saturday morning you will find us at the ball field looking very sleepy!

Cute song about basic training!

2008-04-17T08:27:00.000-04:00

Listen to sample mp3 here!!! http://www.erichorner.com/cieraAudioUploads/247.mp3

2008-04-16T21:46:00.000-04:00