ANTI-PROCRASTINATION

Weekly Update

My OH my. I just finished watching the eclipse and it was truly magnificent. We live in Lincoln, NE, where we were engulfed in the shadow of a total solar eclipse for just over one minute. It was crazy to experience night in the middle of the day, and when I took a few seconds to peel my eyes away from the sun to the glow around the horizon, it was a bit ethereal. I was giddy, euphoric, and truly in awe of it all!

It made me think of Creator God, his beautiful creation (of most we only just get glimpses of but are still amazed), and what Heaven will be like someday. This God whose handiwork makes us all stop and stare upward wearing silly shades as we take in slivers of light with mouths hanging open–this God knows me (and you!) by name. Fully known, fully loved. So much beauty!

It was wonderful to take a day to look at the sky with some of my loved ones. I had a mountain of work to do, (I’m working on something special for you all!) so I worked late Sunday night in order to slow down on a Monday. I will pick up on that work this evening, too. Sometimes #slowliving is a tradeoff, busy nights for a slow day, and boy, was this one worth it!

Weekly Goals

Meal Plan — grocery list +5 meals

Dates — my Todd, my girls, one close friend

Do a Pin — unbelievably good cashew milk

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Weekly Update

My house is so quiet! It is the first day of school for my girls and I’m not sure what to think! I have mixed emotions. I shed a few tears this morning looking at the back-to-school picture of my girls and knowing this is the first day of my Teagan’s senior year. I remember her first day of Kindergarten! I feel so proud and thankful to see this day, to see them all grow. Thankful for my life and theirs.

Despite my brief tears, I am giddy to have time to write and think. A slow-living mindset was a challenge the last couple of weeks, juggling all the things– New Nostalgia, home, and my girls’ needs. It was so “people-y” around here! I love my people, but I also need some quiet in my days to think and produce content for the blog and my social channels.

I do so much better with routine and rhythm.  I felt myself getting very moody, grumpity, and desperate for these things the last few days of summer break! Back-to-school came right on time.

My girlfriend was laughing at me when I was sharing all of this with her. She said, “I feel like it was just yesterday that you were saying you couldn’t wait for spontaneous summer days.” She is right. Most of the summer I loved not knowing what each day would bring ,until I didn’t. Ha! I do not do spontaneous for many days in a row very well. Oh, how I love predictable routine!

Weekly Goals

Meal Plan — grocery list +5 meals

Dates — my Todd, my girls, one close friend

Do a Pin — adding some Fall to my mason jars!

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You all have been so kind in response to the post I wrote about my health scare. The comments, the emails, the Facebook posts–so many of you saying that you are praying for me. I feel overwhelmed by all the love! Of course, I would love your prayers, but want to reassure you that I’m doing well and do not feel worried. I will update in August after my next Oncology appointment.

We have a heat wave coming to the midwest this week, and we plan on spending some time at my in-laws’ pool and pool house. I was there this morning with a dear friend and her two littles, and tomorrow my Colsie is having a few friends there in the evening. We sure are spoiled having such a wonderful place to live slow and make wonderful summer memories!

I’ve been using the Couch to 5K Running App in the mornings and I’m on week 4. Jogging in this heat is going to be brutal. I’m going to try and wake up even earlier than I have been to beat the heat. If all else fails, I do have a gym membership, but I sure have loved being in nature on my jogs! I still can’t believe my walks have turned into jogs. I’m so thankful my joints are holding up –I have joint issues from cancer med side effects, but thanks to Turmeric, inflammation is staying under control. I know the cardio is great for my heart and I’m hoping the few pounds of post menopausal weights I’ve gained (also thanks to cancer meds) will continue to melt away. I will write more about this app and my experience with it. I’m quite giddy about it!

Weekly Goals

Meal Plan — grocery list +5 meals

Dates — my Todd, my girls, one close friend

Do a Pin — 4 Ways to Freeze Avocados

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It is mid-July and I cannot get enough of summer!

We had a bit of a health scare earlier in the summer, but since moving past that, it has truly been such a precious summer. Maybe that is why. Life- threatening health scares can be the best perspective changer, and I feel so overwhelmed and thankful when I think of how I get to experience continued health.

I am loving the daily rhythm of the summer. I have been starting each day quite early in order to get some outdoor exercise in before it gets too hot out. It has been so good for my body and soul to experience nature on a daily basis! I’ve been posting bits of my mornings in nature on InstaStory. I love capturing the beauty!

My summer mornings are quite structured with coffee, God-time, breakfast, outdoor exercise and blog work; but once afternoon hits I make myself completely available for my girls. Time with them has been so wonderful.

Our evenings are very chill. I’m making my way through a novel with late night reading. I also love watching recorded television with my Todd and our youngest. My other 2 girls often have friends over and I have especially loved getting to know my Teagan’s guy, who is over often and is top notch!

Last night we spent time at my inlaws pool grilling out and spending time together as a family. I love when summer weeknights feel like a weekend night! Oh, how I love summer!

Weekly Goals

Meal Plan — grocery list +5 meals

Dates — my Todd, my girls, one close friend

Do a Pin —How To Make Yummy Carrot Bacon {cheaper than regular bacon, and full of vitamin A!}

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You will notice there are no “new obsessions” below this week. I think that is due to this mindset I’ve found myself having this summer – minimal, minimal minimal. Right now my new obsession is to get rid of the unnecessary. I have 5 bags of stuff, packed into my trunk to be unloaded at our local thrift store.

It has been a bit crazy adjusting to a new summer schedule, but I keep self- talking, reminding myself to slow the mind in the midst of busy summer schedule. It really works, this self-talk. Often it comes with a deep breath which automatically slows and my eyes open to all the amazing blessings that surround me. I then find my thankful.

I’m getting into a summer rhythm of working on this blog from 6:30-noon, then I turn my attention to my teens and their needs for the day. Today their need is to be with friends and go to Grandpa & Grandma’s po0l, and boy does that sound good to me! My car will soon be filled with giggling teen girls, pool towels and ice cream. Hello summer!

Weekly Goals

Meal Plan — grocery list +5 meals

Dates — my Todd, my girls, one close friend

Do a Pin — The Ultimate Unbaked Brownies (dare I say healthy?) Continue Reading…