I know it's been a couple of weeks since I've posted. I have been wanting to blog, but honestly haven't had the time to sit at my computer long enough to do so. We had a very busy week last week which I will share in my next posting later today. I have pictures from Easter to post later too (after I get them off of my camera).

This morning I just had a few minutes and wanted to share with you some stuff from yesterday morning's worship gathering. Bruce just started a new series called "Closer" and he is teaching about intimacy with God. I am loving this series already. I love that you can't even enter the worship space without being stopped a couple of times - stopped to understand that worship is happening already, stopped to make sure that you are bringing worship with you, stopped with helps if you aren't prepared to worship God or don't understand how to do that. Yesterday Bruce taught from Psalm 73. He ended with a couple of questions to ponder this week to help us have the right perspective and focus as we are working towards closer intimacy with God.

"If you were to go to Heaven and receive all that Heaven has to offer, but Jesus/God wouldn't be there, would you still want to go?"

"Are you truly in love with God, or are you just in love with what He offers you?"

My immediate response was that I know I love God. But I am also challenged to consider where my love for God would be if I had never received any of the blessings/comfort/provision/peace/etc... that He has given me. God's love for me is UNCONDITIONAL. I want my love for him to be as unconditional as humanly possible too.

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Molly's new hobby...

Buying toilet paper is on my "to do" list for tomorrow.

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I lost

5 more pounds this week.

For those of you who asked what I am doing...
I am mostly following the South Beach Diet.
It's what I know because It's what I've done in the past, and for me is the easiest diet for life change. Really, since I first started South Beach Diet we have changed the way we shop for groceries in our house. I haven't purchased bread, pasta, etc. that isn't whole wheat or whole grain in years.
Since my introduction to South Beach I always read ingredients and steer clear of "enriched" grains and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
I also substitute turkey for chicken whenever possible (ground turkey, chicken dogs, turkey bacon, etc...)

This is why I say mostly following South Beach Diet, because I have been eating like this for years and have gotten fat eating this way. I do realize that eating out is a sure bet to gaining weight and my sweet tooth had to be killed, but I also realize that my portion sizes had gotten out of control. So I have combined South Beach with Weight Watchers this time around. I am counting points as well as making healthy food choices. This has been a huge help for me in knowing just how big my portions should be and if I have already eaten too much to have a sensible dessert.

Also I purchased this guide to eating out. I knew that restaurant food had more calories than I should eat, but I have been pretty appalled to find out just how much. It has been quite helpful when eating out was our only option.

I don't want to just eat something anymore without knowing what I am putting in my body.

I haven't had nearly the exercise I should. (I only got 1 one-mile walk in this past week.) But I am trying to get more. I know that I am not going to change my flabbiness without it.

So that's it in a nutshell. Also, I am only in week 2 of my diet and have A LOT of weight left to lose. The closer I get to my goal the slower the pounds will shed. But I am not discouraged by that. I want it to come off in a way that it will stay off.

So here's to a lifetime of healthy habits that have started anew in my house!

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This fills me with joy...

I wish you could hear their laughter.
Oh that they would always play so well together.

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Molly is 9 months old!

Molly turned 9 months old on Saturday.



Here are some of the ways she has grown this month...

• She LOVES her brothers and wants to be wherever they are. (I can tell that this is going to be a problem in the future.)


• She is into EVERYTHING!!!! There is often a Molly trail at my house these days.

She stands all by herself all the time, and I am seeing that she has quite an independent streak about her. (She doesn't want me to try and help her stand, including holding my hand for balance.)

She loves feeding herself. (I learned the messy way to not leave the baby food jar with the spoon in it within her reach if I walk away from her while she is in her high chair - even for a few seconds)

She waves and claps.

She says hi, mama, daddy and is trying to say doggie.

She figures LOTS of things out on her own.

Here is a video of Molly playing with Maggie (one of the things she did on her own, without this kind of play being modeled for her.)

Molly, you bring such joy to our house! Happy 9 months.

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update on the war

Today was my first week's weigh in.
I lost 6 pounds!
I always lose a lot the first week or so of a diet.
It is good encouragement though that what I am doing is working.

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