Daily Life

2017 Aspirations

January 2, 2017 By kelly Leave a Comment

I decided that this year I don’t want to make resolutions. Not that I’ve made traditional resolutions in a long time, but doing that just didn’t hit my radar. Instead, I decided that, in addition to the things I posted in the cute meme yesterday (which rocks!), I wanted to come up with a list of attainable aspirations for this new year.

20 dates with Mickey in 2017. Admittedly, we fall into the routine of life and don’t always carve out time for dates. Since dates are so important, not to mention fun, I’m aspiring to 20 dates this year. They can be dinner dates, lunch dates, weekend get away dates — anything goes.
Log 50 hiking miles in 2017. I almost challenged myself to 100 hiking miles, but I decided I best be more realistic. With the girls’ soccer and dance occupying many weekends, that doesn’t leave all that many for hiking. But, we enjoy doing this as a family and we should take some opportunities to explore new (to us) trails this year.
Take a class/learn something new in 2017. Odds are, I’ll finally get around to using the Harley Davidson Riders’ Safety course certificate I got from a gracious rider last summer, so that may very well be my learning experience. And, that would be super amazing, honestly. Just so long as I learn something new and take a chance on something outside my usual realm, this one will be check off the list.
Incorporate new meals/recipes in 2017: Y’all, this one needs some serious attention. I get in such a rut and I am the world’s worst about menu planning. So, I wander about the grocery store grabbing this and that, then get home with a ton of food and yet no inspiration to cook. And, I enjoy cooking, that’s just the thing. Perhaps this goal should be better menu planning and aspiration, huh? I’ll work on that. And, one day soon I’ll be posting a recipe swap thread that I hope you’ll post in too. In the meantime, I’ll be scouring cookbooks, cooking blogs and Pinterest AND making good grocery lists. This is so doable and would really be a great thing for me to do.
Be more diligent about knocking out house projects in 2017. This one also needs attention. There are so many projects around home that I can and should be doing this year. I need to be incorporating organizational ideas, our basement floor needs to be stained, I have a table that needs to be painted, the guest room needs an overhaul, etc. In short, I have plenty I need to do. So, I need to get down to not only wanting it, but being inspired enough to DO IT.
Take and complete a Bible study course in 2017. For various reasons, mostly scheduling, I haven’t been in a Bible study in awhile and I miss it. So, I would like to find a good study to take this year. I always find that spending more time in The Word helps keep me more centered. So, this needs to happen. No question.
Send more letters/cards in 2017. I love getting mail. I think that’s why I still subscribe to magazines, frankly, because getting stuff in the mail is such a joy to me. One small, but very real, reason I love Christmas season so much is because we get cards in the mail almost daily. Mail is my jam, y’all. It may well be my third love language. Since I enjoy it so much, I want to be more intentional about actually sending it too.
Have an individual Mama/Daughter experience with each of my girls in 2017. I want to plan something fun and focused on each girl individually. Of course, I want us to have family fun, but I think it would be so amazing to just do togetherness things with them one-on-one, as well.

That’s my list for now and I think it’s solid. Certainly, I have additional hopes for this year too including volunteering, family trips, getting more use out of my camera, and more. For the purpose of this list, however, I wanted to challenge myself a little more and come up with some aspirations that are worthy of achieving in this new year.

I’m curious, what are YOUR aspirations for this year?

Happy January 2nd, y’all! I hope this year AND this week are off to a bright and happy start.

My best,
Kel

Great goals for 2017…

January 1, 2017 By kelly Leave a Comment

A friend shared this in a meme on FB and I just loved it! So, I recreated it to share here on the blog. I think these are great goals for this New Year!

Happy New Year, y’all! May it bring blessings, goodness and happiness to us all!

With high hopes,
Kel

Recapping 2016

December 31, 2016 By kelly Leave a Comment

It’s a little surreal to me that we are in the final hours of 2016. I always heard that the years get faster as we get older and I am starting to realize just how true that is.

I decided to take a look back in photos from my FB and/or IG to reflect on 2016. I can’t come close to recapping a whole year here, of course, but this is a nice look back at 2016.

January: Macey made honor roll for seventh grade and Mariana got runner up for her Honoring Our Heroes Essay Contest entry written about our friend Anna:

February : Mickey turned the big FOUR-OH. And this isn’t the best pic, but it’s one from his actual birthday. The rest of the day I posted tribute pics for him.

March: Macey went on a youth retreat with our church student group, Mariana and I got to see our sweet Anna dance, I met Chewbacca up close and personal, and we celebrated our risen Lord and Savior at Easter.

April: Mariana sang The National Anthem at an Atlanta Braves game with her school chorus, we enjoyed a girls’ mountain weekend getaway, and I experienced one of the highest thrills of the year with my very first skydive!

May: was a bittersweet month. Our friend and former neighbor, Peter, passed away young and very unexpectedly. (The photo shown is Peter and his wife Wendie when they visited our house for a party several years ago.) Needless to say, that was shocking, tragic, and very sad. May also had bright moments such as Mariana turning 10 and having a ballerina birthday party, Mariana performing in her spring recital, and our family having our annual beach trip blast with our great friends, the Davis family.

June: Summer kicked off with a lot of FUN! Joyce, Dena and I went to The Grove’s Summer Party where we got rained on, but had so much fun, Macey went to camp (aka – her happy place), and Mariana went to her first week of dance camp.

July: Macey turned 13! A teenager in the house! We celebrated with a backyard birthday party complete with Moe’s catering and an inflatable water slide! She also had to have surgery to place three pins in her pinky finger which sustained a break playing four square at camp – of all random things. (And, no, this didn’t diminish her camp love – not one bit!). And, both girls got to spend time “down south” with Nana and Gran-Gran.

August: back to school time for both girls. Macey got her pins out the first week of school. And, Mariana officially started company dance.

September: Labor Day weekend we attended “guest camp” at Macey’s beloved camp and had a wonderful time! Macey and Mickey’s winning autumn soccer season officially began, Mariana walked in a local parade with school chorus and we spent an awesome week at the beach with Nana and Gran-Gran!

October: Mickey and Mariana attended their last elementary school Doughnuts with Dad together (sniff), we went on our annual trip to the apple orchard and pumpkin patch, and Mickey and I celebrated 15 years of marriage. And, of course, there was Halloween!

November: Macey’s team (coached by Mickey) won first place at the McDonald’s Cup Tournament, Mickey and I attended Mariana’s last elementary Thanksgiving luncheon, and we celebrated Thanksgiving with family down south.

December: one crazy busy, but totally wonderful month! I went to a Christmas tea with Joyce at her church, our sweet friend Dena got baptized, Mariana danced as a snowflake and an elf in “The Polar Express”, we took the girls ice skating, Macey had her winter orchestra concert, we got a new kitten, and we had a truly AMAZING Christmas celebrating Jesus’ birth!

These are not nearly ALL the moments, but some glimpses into 2016 for our family. There were times of sadness, to be sure, but there were many good times too. Looking back on this year helped me to be reflective of the blessings 2016 held for us. It wasn’t always sunshine and roses, but God is good through it all.

Here’s to 2017, y’all. May God guide and keep us all through this new year and always.

Looking forward with expectation and hope,

Kel

Leaving a legacy…

February 17, 2016 By kelly 4 Comments

A few weeks ago, I got to attend the Volunteer Leadership Conference put on by the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. The conference was held here in Atlanta this year which was nice for us locals. I got to meet many new people from all across the country who are all united by a common goal – working together to help cure the kids. It was a wonderful weekend and I enjoyed every bit of it.

One of the people I got to meet at the VLC was a man named Bobby Newman. I had heard about Bobby from my coworker and dear friend Tammy. She met Bobby previously and had had given her one of his hand-made bells which she often wears to clinic visits. So, this year I got to meet Bobby and right off the bat I could tell he was a genuinely kind and faithful person. When we first met, as I often do, I asked how he was doing. Bobby’s answer, which I have come to find out he was known for, was…”I am blessed.” I liked that because it wasn’t the standard answer of “I’m fine” AND it was genuine. Bobby lived serving a mighty God and he knew that he was, in fact, blessed. As we chatted, he gave me one of his bells. Well, that thrilled me because I really wanted one because I knew he handmade them AND I knew the story behind them. I got him to tell me the story again. He told me that every time the bell chimes, it’s a reminder of God’s love for us. AND, he went on to say that every bell has its own individual chime sound which is also a reminder of how God made each and every one of us unique. Isn’t that so cool? I just love it! And, I loved my bell! That evening he went on to give bells to our Stars (brain tumor survivors) who attended a dinner at the event. Our sweet friend Anna is blind now as a result of her tumor and surgery and when Bobby gave her a bell, the joy she felt in receiving it was beautifully evident on her face. I have a photo of the two of them together and their smiles are just incredible! He was living out his calling and she was the recipient of a magnificent gift from a truly amazing soul. It was a great moment and I felt honored to be there to witness it.

On Friday, Bobby was posting on Facebook that he was out visiting dealerships for Ride for Kids. He had such a passion for the mission of Ride for Kids and it was evident. He would post after each dealer visit and it was fun “watching” his daily travels on Facebook. He even took the time that day to share a story that Anna’s mom had shared on Anna’s FB prayer page and wrote some very nice things about Anna in his post. I didn’t know that would be the last time I would “like” something that Bobby wrote, but it was. He was killed in an accident on Friday. Anna’s mom, who is a dear friend, texted me to look on Facebook because our bell making Santa friend had died. Neither of us could believe it. He was taken way too soon, in my opinion, but nothing takes our God by surprise. Bobby received his heavenly homecoming while he was out doing something near and dear to his heart. And doing, what I believe, was a calling on his life by God. He was adding on to his legacy until his last minute on this earth.

Today, my buddy Bobby will be laid to rest in Indiana. I can’t be there to pay my respects in person, but I will continue to keep his family and loved ones in my prayers. And, I will treasure my handmade bell all the more. I have put it on my key-chain for now so that it will chime often to remind me of God’s love for me AND to remind me to keep driving toward my own passions for helping others just like Bobby did.

All of this got me thinking on a number of levels, but one was this — what will my legacy be? Bobby’s legacy is one of strong faith, deep convictions, and an abiding love for family and friends. He lived his calling. And, that’s what I want my life to be about too. When I fly away from here, I want to be remembered with smiles and if you really know me — with laughter. I want to live out my life in such a way that it’s evident that I have faith in God that I try to exemplify even though I’m flawed. I want to be remembered one day as someone who genuinely and truly LOVED her family and her friends. I want to be a champion for kids who battle cancer and especially kids who battle brain tumors. And, I don’t mean champion as in I want it to be about me. Not at all. What I mean is, I want to be someone who gets in there and fights the good fight against childhood cancer and comes alongside families with support. That’s what I mean there. I want my life to mean something. I want to leave the world better than I found it. Just like my friend Bobby left this world. It’s a better place because he was in it, for sure. He touched lives for the good.

I know that life is but a vapor. I know some days we don’t have our best to give. But, the building of a legacy is more than just a day. It’s a lifetime well lived. It’s building the memory of who we were based on who we ARE in the time we have. My prayer is that my life and legacy will point heavenward. More than anything, I want to be salt and light for Jesus in this world. Through the cracks and flaws, I hope He shows through me and my life’s works.

Rest in peace, Bobby. I am sure heavens bells are ringing a little sweeter now that you’re there.

Kelly

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The bell Bobby gave me is on my key-chain
right next to my cross.

The Haps…

February 7, 2016 By kelly Leave a Comment

Okay…dumb blog title, but I’m cutting myself some slack because I couldn’t think of anything more creative at the time I sat down to finally update.

So, some good things are happening around here lately…

Mickey and I rocked out and completed our first Whole 30! We haven’t gone off the wagon yet, either. He’s had a little piece of candy Macey saved for him, but only ONE, and we have both tried a little reintro of cheese, but we are mostly sticking to plan. Last Tuesday (February 2nd) was Day 30 and I’m so proud of us for making it all the way and beyond! I cannot say enough about how beneficial this has been for both of us. W30 isn’t supposed to be about weight loss, but I’ll say that’s a nice little perk. Besides that, we’ve both had an upswing in overall energy, clearer skin, far less snoring (not me!), no headaches in weeks, and MORE. Also, a big shout out to Mickey because he not only did all of this, but he went so far as to cut his caffeine habit completely which, frankly, is a serious accomplishment. I’ll be perfectly honest and say that it’s not the easiest thing to start, but once you’re rolling it gets easier. The keys, I really believe, are to be over prepared with your food and recipes and to have good support.
One of my 2016 goals was to experience some firsts this year and I’ve done some of that already. In January, I attended my first volunteer leadership conference with my job. Sure, it was work, but it was AMAZING and was a first for me! Just last week I had another first in that I treated myself to a salon hair cut and color and went with some purple highlights. LOVE it and so glad I took a chance on that first. Firsts can be totally fun. I’m digging this firsts thing.
I’m also working on my goal of being more intentional this year. I’m not just saying “Hey, let’s get together sometime”, but I’m saying “Hey, let’s have brunch. How’s Thursday?” It doesn’t always work out, but putting the intentions into action have been good and have given me some good family and friend time already this year, with more in the works.
I recently read Nobody’s Cuter Than You: A Memoir About the Beauty of Friendship by Melanie Shankle and looooooved it. It was just what I needed to read and I highly recommend it for friends. Seriously, get yourself a copy of this book today if you haven’t ready it already — it is just THAT good. I have honestly never read Melanie’s blog* but I probably should since I enjoyed her book so much. And I’ll pick up others of her’s too! (*Sorry, Melanie, if you ever randomly stumble upon this blog…which won’t happen, but…just in case. Gotta have my manners in place.)
We recently had a little family retreat to a cabin in the mountains in North Georgia. It was a sweet little cabin, just perfect for us, and secluded. Ahhh!! We had plans to maybe hike or make a bonfire or all sorts of things, but the main thing we did was have some R&R which, honestly, was just right. We also went to see the band I am They in concert which was great!! If you haven’t given them a listen yet, let me recommend them too.

So, that’s the basics of what’s going on around here lately. Plus, I mean, work and school, trying to keep up with laundry and housekeeping (and failing like crazy), while maintaining what little shred of normalcy we can muster. In other words…life is good.

Best,
Kelly

Just a few pics this time.

A side view of my new ‘do. Can you see the purple?
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