Basically...

Every day I thank the Lord for letting me love the most wonderful man on this planet. 

He is my dream come true, my answered prayer, my best friend, my partner in crime (ha!), my heart, my soulmate, and pretty much the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Plus he's not bad to look at, either.

So, basically, I'm the luckiest girl in the world. 

That is all.

Meal-Planning Monday...

Here's what we're having in the Hargrave house this week!

Mexican Shrimp Cobb Salad

Turkey Chili Taco Soup 

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce and Easy Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

I found all of the recipes at Skinny Taste, which has TONS of low-calorie recipes!  It's probably pretty apparent that I'm really missing my Mexican food, so I figured I'd load up some healthy alternatives.  I'm really looking forward to the shrimp salad - YUM! :)

Peace and Grace...

So, I showed you guys this little Pinterest project we did at Christmas.

When I bought the letters at Hobby Lobby, I also bought the letters I'd need to spell out "Grace" so I do something similar during the non-Christmas months.  And I decided that I wasn't really in love with the gold for every day, so I painted all of the letters with Rustoleum Heirloom White a couple of weeks ago.

When we went to hang them up, I really felt like the whole thing was just too small for the space it was in, so we decided to move it to another wall in the dining room, next to the window.

I really love it! It's a fun, pretty addition to the dining room, which is still pretty darned bare at this point. 

We ordered off-white curtains for the living room to replace the bright white ones we got from Pottery Barn (which we'll move to the master bedroom because you'd better believe those puppies are going up SOMEWHERE in this house!), and if we like them, we'll order three of the same for the dining room.  I cannot WAIT until we get the living area done! But it's just like the running and weight loss, right? Slowly but surely... :)

Linking up to...

  Sew Can Do   

So here's what we did this weekend...

1. I finished up Week 1 of Couch-to-5K!  It mostly sucked, but I will tell you this.  About halfway through the last run, while listening to Chris Brown's Forever, I actually smiled while running for the very first time.  I know most of it has to do with the fact that I think of Jim and Pam's wedding every time I hear that song, but I also was just truly enjoying the run at that point. And I could almost sort of understand that "runner's high" I've heard people talk about.  Right after that I broke through the trees, and began running directly into the wind.  I was definitely not happy at that point.  But all in all, I can definitely see improvement from the first run!

2.  Our pool table was delivered!  It's all set up and leveled, and it looks great! 

We've obviously got a LOT more to do in the game room, but it's definitely a good start.

3.  We got to watch this little princess by ourselves for the first time ever!

5.  We spent the hours between 1:30 and 5:30 am this morning at the emergency room.  I'm totally fine now, I swear.  But yesterday evening I started having trouble breathing, and it just got worse and worse as the night went on.  When I tried to lay down and go to bed, I started gasping for breath.  I knew I was starting to panic, so I tried to stay calm and took a bath.  And sitting up in the tub wasn't horrible, but the minute I tried to lay back down, I started having trouble breathing again.  At about 1:15, I finally woke Micah up and told him that we needed to go to the ER.  I was just horrified that I was having an asthma attack (even though I don't have asthma) or pneumonia, and I knew I wouldn't be able to calm down enough to sleep.

After a breathing treatment and X-rays, we found out that it's just a bad case of bronchitis.  Which is so weird because I wasn't feeling bad at all before the breathing problems began.  But whatever.  The breathing treatment really helped, and the doctor prescribed some steroids and an inhaler for the next couple of days.  And after the upper respiratory and sinus infections in the last month, I've decided that I really need to start taking some vitamin C and using hand sanitizer more often. :)

6.  We finished up a cute project at the house that I'll share with you guys tomorrow!

We also gave Lilly a bath, got some workout clothes at Target, laughed at each other a lot, danced around the aisles of Home Depot (well, that was mostly  me... not we), and slept until 11:30 am (this morning after being up all night).   What did you guys do this weekend?

Project Scripture: Week Five

Here we go with Week Five!

Pride comes before the fall...

A word to the wise...

Before you go and brag on your blog about how you miraculously resisted the temptation to scarf down a SuperSonic Breakfast Burrito (with bacon instead of sausage and easy on the jalapenos, in case you were curious), consider the possibility that you probably don't have super-human strength and that talking about it might make you want one even more than you already did.

And then, when you finally do shamelessly give into temptation, you'll probably have to, in the interest of full disclosure, admit to the people who read your blog (and have encouraged and supported you on your weight loss journey in an incredible and uplifting way) that you did, in fact, subsequently drive through Sonic and indulge in the deliciousness that is the SuperSonic breakfast burrito.

I mean, hypothetically speaking, of course.

So don't be like me is what I'm saying. 

(Hypothetically speaking.)

No, I don't want any cheese...

... but I am going to whine for just a second so that I can tell you that I feel like an old woman today.

My legs and butt are so sore that sitting down in a chair has become a cruel form of torture.  And I can definitely blame some of that on the running, I guess.  I did Week One, Run 2 of Couch-to-5K last night, and my shins feel like they're bruised.  And I know it's because I'm running all wrong, it's just hard to remember to lean forward while also trying not to collapse from exhaustion. 

(I might invest in a pair of Vibrams {check out MckMama's post about how you can score a pair for $39!}, which apparently force you to run on your toes. But I'm pretty sure I'm way too vain to sport those suckers in public.) 

via

But I feel certain that most of my soreness stems from the fact that I did this "sexy leg workout" on my "off" day on Tuesday night:

via

Let me just tell you... for a girl who hasn't done so much as stretch her legs in at least two years, I am FEELING all the freaking squats and lunges.  The whole "you're most sore two days after you work out" thing is definitely true because I almost cried when I had to sit down on the toilet to pee this morning.  (Probably TMI, but I'm keeping it real here, y'all.  And also, I'm pretty sure I never wished that I was a guy and could pee standing up more than I did in that moment.)

I posted this status on Facebook last night: 

"Running still sucks. And also, how is it possible that I can't remember what the capitol of Spain is, but I still remember the lyrics to Salt N Pepa's Shoop? (I spend all my dough... re mi, cutie... Shoop Shoop be doobie, like Scooby Doobie...)"  (I amaze even myself with my insightfulness and depth.)

One of my Facebook friends (hey, Allie!) asked me how I am motivating myself to run.  My answer was basically that, in addition to the fact that Micah's coming with me and walking Lilly (which she totally loves), I'm really just so curious about how people can come to love running so much that I'm making myself try it. That and the fact that I intentionally blasted it on my blog and my facebook to incentivize me to keep doing it so everyone won't realize what a quitter I really am at heart.

(And can I also just say that it drives me absolutely insane that Micah and Lilly totally kept up with me last night, and he wasn't even close to being winded when we finished, while I was doubled over and practically doing lamaze exercises to catch my breath.  Men.)

So bottom line -- I'm a big, fat whiner about the running and getting in shape, but I'm going to do it.  So you should probably prepare yourself for a teensy bit more complaining from me in the near future.  I'll go ahead and apologize now.

Don't know how you do the Wuslu that you do...

... makes me wanna shoop, shoop, shoop.

(I'm not sure that's quite how Salt N Pepa sang it, but I think you get my point.)

(Oh, you don't get my point?  That's okay, neither do I.  We'll just start over.)

Well, hey y'all!  Fancy meeting you here. (Sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me today.  Maybe it's all this rain.)

Anyway...

I read this blog.  And she mentioned Wuslu.  And ever since I signed up for their daily emails, my love for their deals of the day and lovely things has grown deeper and deeper.

It's a sort of deal-of-the-day site, but the products are the kind of unique, charming things you'd find at a really cool flea market or antique store. Except that you don't have to go to a flea market or an antique store.  And the prices are pretty darned reasonable (although not quite as low as you'd find if you actually went to a flea market or antique store).

For example, today's deal is a French Tier Wire Basket.

via

They've got it priced at $44.50 plus $5 shipping, so you're looking at $50 for a cool, unique piece that you probably couldn't easily find anywhere else. 

Here are some of my favorite deals they've done in the past.

via

via

via

via

via

So if you're lazy like me and would rather someone else do the hard work for you, check out Wuslu.  And let the underachievers unite!  (I have no idea what's up with me today... I really am sorry.)

My Music Wednesday...

Speaking of the days when Mariah was still good, here's one of my favorite videos from the '90s.  Enjoy My All by Mariah Carey!

Pinterest Projects

I've been pinning my little heart out lately, but I haven't actually done much with my pins.  They sit there on my pretty boards, taunting me with their cleverness and making me feel incredibly lazy.  So I've picked a few that I actually want to do relatively soon, and I'm sharing them with you guys (1) so that you can keep me accountable for getting off my lazy butt and (2) just in case you need a little inspiration, yourself. 

{Kitchen Organization}

via

Micah and I are desperately in need of a "command center" in our kitchen.  Our mail and bills just pile up before we finally break down and file them away.  And my meal plan is usually written on yellow legal paper and taped to the front of the fridge.  So I love the idea of having a designated meal plan board (although I'll likely do something similar to my memory verse board as opposed to the vinyl Landee used), as well as some framed pictures and mail slots to keep the mail organized.  Plus, the side of my fridge is exposed, so I won't have to use the sheet metal to create a magnetic surface.  I think we're going to try and tackle this project this weekend.

{Door Mat Wall Hanging}

via

Apparently this is a rubber door mat from the dollar store that has been painted with Rustoleum Heirloom White (my fav!) and sanded to give it a distressed look.  This is super appealing to me because it's cheap, creative, and it would totally go in my house.  The problem, I think, will be finding a mat that has such intricate detail that isn't expensive.  (But heck... maybe I'll get luck and actually find one this pretty at the Dollar Store. :))  I'll probably do three of them to create a bigger statement and put it in the niche in my dining room.

{Framed Scrapbook Paper}

via

This is so cool-looking, isn't it?  I love how striking it is and how cheap it probably was to create.  I may use scrapbook paper, but I'll probably use these book cover postcards I bought from Anthropologie yesterday:

(And I'm really bummed because I just found them on Amazon for almost $10 cheaper with free shipping.) 

Either way, some version of this will end up in my house soon.  Likely in my master bedroom where my memory verse board is currently.  (I'd like to move the memory verse board to the bathroom if it'll fit.)

{Frame Collage}

via

I love this idea for our breakfast area.  I've got a fairly large, totally blank wall in there, and I think this would be fun.  I'd probably do the frames in greens and whites.  I LOVE the chalkboard, and since we don't have kids' artwork to display there yet, we'll have to be creative in what we hang in the frames.  I'm thinking using a couple of these kitchen printables.

via

Clever, right?  Anyway, I just like the look of the frames grouped together. 

{Fabric-Covered Foam}

via

These are apparently 4'x8' foam insulation boards from Home Depot covered in damask fabric.  I think they look so elegant.  We've got this humongous niche above our stairs that I can't, for the life of me, figure out what to put there, and I'm thinking this might be absolutely perfect.  I'd have to go with different fabric, obviously, since my house isn't nearly this formal, but that would be the perfect mission for me and my mom on a Saturday.  Plus, the foam can't be very heavy, so that'd make hanging it much easier for my poor husband. :)

{Towel Rack}

via

We've got an ugly towel rack in our guest room that leaves very little room for decorating in there, and when I saw this I immediately coveted it.  The only problem is that I don't know whether the person who hung it actually made it or if they bought it somewhere.  One other cool thing would be to use an old, distressed mantel and to add the hooks either to the mantel, itself, or to the wall directly below it. 

So what are your must-do Pinterest projects?

My story...

I am nine years old. I spend some time with my grandmother, and she tells me about the cross and about a love big enough to redeem even the worst of sinners. During the car ride home, I rest my head against the back of the driver's seat of my mom's car, eyes closed, and invite Him in. And because I'm not sure if once is enough, I pray three more times when I get home. I am baptized and receive a book about what it means to be a Christian. And then I go on about my life, just as before. Business as usual. I am good and sweet-natured, but then I always have been. I do what I am told (with occasional sass and a flair for the dramatic), but I remain the same girl I had been since the day I was born.

I am in seventh grade, and my parents flip my world upside down. They tell me that we're leaving the town I have always known. My friends, my school, everything I had come to love. In an effort to ease the transition, they start driving me to church in my new town that year, even before we move, so I can get to know everyone there. Eventually, I meet Micah and rekindle a semi-friendship with Lauren, who would come to be my very best friend.

And, for the first time, I really meet Jesus. At a youth conference I walk with Him on His journey to the cross, and the enormity of His love and sacrifice wash over me. I am a broken mess because I wonder if I have ever really accepted Him as the Lord of my life. I feel confident in the Savior part -- accepting grace, redeeming love and all that -- but when I look back I just can't be sure that I have given Him my heart in return. So once again, I invite Him in.

Except this time, I give Him all of me.

After that I am sold out for Him. Throughout middle school and high school, and even college, I am bold in my faith. I never touch cigarettes or drugs or alcohol. I lead my school's FCA group and speak often at youth group and Disciple Now, and I lead bible study on multiple mission trips. I fall madly in love with Micah, and we vow to wait. I stay plugged into the Word and have an active prayer life.

At some point, the fire and spark fade. My parents divorce. I move to Houston for law school. I get wrapped up in how hard it all is. I lose sight of where He's leading me and start walking alone. But He still speaks. Forgives. Loves.

I am a third-year law student, and I have no job. I am broken, defeated, humiliated. I miss home. He wraps his arms around me and reminds me that He has a plan. So I start walking again, but this time I'm following Him. I accept that He may not bring us home quite yet. But then He does, despite all of my clumsy attempts to do it myself.

Today, I am His. I still fall short every single day, but His grace is sufficient. He is molding me into something better.

I will inevitably lose my way again. But the best part is that He never will.

Pool tables, movies, and SuperSonic breakfast burritos...

I'm having trouble walking today.  Most likely, it's because I started "running" yesterday.  (I put running in quotes because my "run" included quite a bit of walking.)  Or maybe it's because I'm wearing four-inch heels that are just a teensy bit too big.  Who really knows.

Other than the aforementioned wobbly-ness, we had a great weekend.  I went to dinner with the girls on Friday night (and had a blasty blast) but ended up not sticking around for bingo.  I was wiped out, and we had to get up on Saturday to head to Frisco to look at a pool table.  This pool table, in fact.

It's an 8-foot, black distressed table with brick-red felt, and it was CHEAP (for a pool table).  So we bought it!  We're having it moved on Saturday, which is definitely not cheap, but it's worth it to us to not have to mess with it.  The slate is HEAVY.

When we left Frisco, we dropped by the Cheesecake Factory in Allen (my FAVORITE) for a quick lunch.  Have you guys tried their Skinnylicious menu yet?  All kinds of stuff under 500 calories, and it all looked SO good.  The chopped salad I had was to die for, and I'm hoping it offset the loaf (er... loafs) of bread I practically inhaled.

On Saturday night, we had a nice, quiet movie night.  We finally saw Courageous, which we had been wanting to see since it came out in the theaters. 

via

It was really, really good.  Uplifiting, encouraging, moving, funny.  All the good stuff in one.

We also watched Hope Floats, which Micah hadn't seen before.  My mom always called me Bernice Matisse when I was growing up because I was serious and precocious and sweet and because I actually kind of looked like the little girl in the movie.  Anyway... I loved being reminded of those memories with my Mom.  She's pretty much the best Mom anyone could ask for.

via

Yesterday we went to Sunday School and church and may or may not have had Joe's Crab Shack again.  Which ended with me in a food coma and a two-hour nap.  But I totally made up for it with the running yesterday afternoon, right?  Right? 

Last night I made this slow-cooker cilantro-lime chicken, which was divine.

via

But what I really wanted to share was how I managed to resist a delicious, evil temptation on the way to work this morning.  As I'm scarfing down my boring protein bar, I got this ridiculously strong craving for a SuperSonic Burrito from Sonic.  You know the one I'm talking about right?

via

It's made with sausage (I usually sub in bacon), eggs, cheese, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and bits of tater tots.  (Yeah, my mouth just filled up with saliva, too.)  Anyway, I decided that I was just going to ignore the fact that it packs almost 600 calories and get one.  After all, I haven't had one in months.  Surely I deserved it?  So I drive out of the way to Sonic and, just as I'm about to turn in, I remembered how much I wanted to quit yesterday while running.  How sweaty and red-faced and exhausted I was when I finished.  And then I thought about how I didn't even burn HALF the calories of that stupid, delicious burrito during my tortuous run, and I just kept right on driving. 

So maybe I won't give up on this running thing so quickly... looks like it might help in more ways than one. :)

Project Scripture: Week Four

Here you go, y'all!  Who's excited about Week Four??

Some confessions...

It's Friday, y'all!  In celebration of this gorgeous Texas morning, I'm spilling a few secrets...

1.  I didn't actually know the weather was supposed to be gorgeous today, and I'm sporting a pretty substantial sweater.  Meteorology fail.

2.  I tried on some jeans this morning that I haven't been able to fit into in at least two years, and they fit perfectly.  Getting back into my old clothes is even more fun than buying new ones!

3.  I had a cheese enchilada for the first time in four months yesterday, and it was glorious.  But not as glorious as number 2 above, so I'll be foregoing such indulgances indulgences for at least another four months.

via

4.  A group of some girlfriends are all getting together to go play bingo tonight, and I'm strangely excited. The only problem is that the last time I played bingo was in high school, when I went with my then-boyfriend and my brother and his girlfriend.  Turns out that was the night when my boyfriend and my brother's girlfriend decided that they'd dump my brother and me and start dating each other.  So I'm worried I might have bad bingo karma.  (You probably didn't know I was going to get all Maury Povich on you this morning.) 

5.  The first time I heard LMFAO's Sexy and I Know It, I actually thought it was a spoof performed by the guys from Jersey Shore.  No lie.  It was a little depressing when I realized that it wasn't and that it's actual, legitimate music.  (What happened to the days when Mariah was still good and the guys from Boyz II Men were still "boyz"?  Is 26 the age at which one becomes nostalgic and old?)

via

6.  We may or may not be purchasing a pool table relatively soon.  Micah's definitely ready to get the game room upstairs looking more like a game room and less like a catchall for all the cheap Ikea furniture we bought when I was in law school.

7.  My firm kickball team lost in the first round of the playoffs on Wednesday night in extra innings (just typing this sentence felt lame). 

8.  Sometimes when I'm talking to people at work, I'm thinking the words in a British accent in my head as I'm speaking them.  I keep thinking about how awful it will be when my brain inevitably gets the signals crossed and the words come out all Harry Potter-ish.

via

... and I think that's about it, y'all.  Hope you have a WONDERFUL Friday!

A running plan...

Not unlike every other overweight, out of shape American, one of my New Year's resolutions was to get back into shape. Yes, I'm eating right (we'll just ignore that slice of banana cake I had at the Stars game last night... no one has to know about that, right?), and I've already lost a significant amount of weight by just adjusting what I eat. But I want to really be healthy. I want to remember what it used to feel like when I could work out for 3-4 hours a day and love it. I obviously don't have time to fit a 3-4 hour workout into my schedule anymore, but I can definitely work in 30 minutes to an hour a few times a week.

I keep seeing this floating around Pinterest, and it sort of illustrates what I'm saying.

via

Let me be clear. In my opinion, this girl looked amazing even at 127 pounds. I mean, come on. But you can't deny that she looks better with more defined, lean muscle at 136, even though she weighs more.

So, bottom line - I need to work out, regardless of how many pounds I lose as a result of my diet.

My dilemma has been that I wasn't sure what kind of exercise routine I wanted to commit to. Should I join a gym? Should I get a good exercise tape to do at home? Should I invest in some personal training sessions?

And then I figured that, at this point, I should really keep it simple. If I have to haul my butt up to a gym to burn calories, I won't go. And if there is any chance in heck that Micah might walk in and see me jiggling and bouncing around to a workout tape, I won't do it. (There are just some things a husband doesn't need to know about his wife. In my humble opinion, the extent to which her curves jiggle when set to cheesy workout music is one of them. But that's just me.) And personal trainers are just too darned expensive. Plus, I don't respond super well to tough love. I am the baby in my family and may or may not have been slightly coddled as a child my entire life.

So... I've decided to start running.

This isn't the first time I've tried to magically transform myself into a runner, but I'm really hoping it's the last. My plan is to use the Couch-to-5K plan as a base and adjust it as I need to. I've actually started Couch-to-5K once before and lasted about two weeks before I cursed whoever invented it and threw my running shoes on the highest shelf in my closet. But I know two people who have done it successfully (hey, Rebecca and Melissa!), and they're now like legitimate runners. Rebecca recently ran a half-marathon, and Melissa recently did a 30k (over 18 miles! is about to finish her SECOND marathon! (Yeah, Melissa, I stalk your facebook. Don't be freaked out. :)) And I'm pretty sure they were both self-professed non-runners before. Which is totally where I'm at. I HATE running and always have. I'm this girl.

via

But I've always secretly wanted to be a runner. I can imagine that's it's therapeutic and stress-relieving, and I love the idea of exercising outside. We've got an amazing pond with a walking trail in our neighborhood that I'd love to take advantage of (since I do, after all, pay the dadgum astronomical HOA fees. It's highway robbery, I tell you).

So I'm just going to do it. I'm going to turn myself into a runner. In the next week or so, I'm going to find a 5K to sign up for, so I've got something to work toward (and so my penny-pinching self makes me train for it so my registration fee doesn't go to waste). And now that I've put it out there for you guys to see, I'm counting on my obsessive need to follow through to get me there.

But on to the really important questions: what should I wear, and where can I find the perfect workout music? ;)

My Music Wednesday

So, who else is a sucker for cheesy '80s movies?  It's sort of ridiculous how much I love them, even though they're terrible.  Case in point?  Footloose.  Could that movie be any cheesier?  (I really wish you could hear my Chandler Bing impression in person.  It's amazing.  Amazingly awful.)  But I love it anyway.  I haven't yet seen the remake, but I really want to. 

This week's song is actually a remake of my favorite song from the movie, Holding Out for a Hero.  This version is by Ella Mae Bowen, and it's GORGEOUS.  Like beautiful.  And because I'm awesome, the video is actually a clip from Julianne Hough's performance to the song (with a little Blake Shelton at the end).   I have a feeling that you'll love it even if you don't share my love for cheesy '80s movies.

Enjoy!

A situation...

I don't know what's happening to me. 

I'm afraid I've lost all sense of acceptability and common decency.

You see...

We've got ourselves a situation... (ha!)

I'm apparently obsessed with these Jersey Shore guidos and guidettes, whose sole focus each day is GTL (gym, tan, laundry).  They refer to ugly girls as grenades, hot guys as juicehead gorillas, and they party like there's no tomorrow.  (And they scream/punch each other more often than I thought was humanly possible.)

But after a recent bout of insomnia and an all-night marathon on MTV, I've been sucked in. (Despite the fact that I swore I'd never watch this garbage.)  The sad thing is... I have absolutely no desire to get out.  I can't get enough of the drama and ridiculosity.

So bring on the juicehead gorillas and fake tans, y'all.  I'm in it for the long haul, apparently. Who's with me? ;)

Catching up and a new chair...

Happy MLK Day, y'all! I hope you all had the day off from work.  I actually did but worked all day anyway.  Plus, I'm battling a pretty terrible sinus infection which is no fun at all.  But other than the screaming headache, sore throat, and constant pressure in my face, we had a great weekend! 

I got home from New Orleans (for hopefully the last time for awhile) on Friday.  We got real fancy and had Subway for dinner.  Then on Saturday, we took it easy at the house for most of the day and had dinner to celebrate Micah's best friend's girlfriend's birthday, which was super fun. 

On Sunday, we went to Sunday school and church and then headed to Micah's parents' house for lunch.  Micah's dad makes the most delicious stir fry (which also happens to be relatively healthy - yay!).  When we left, we had just enough time to grab some groceries and get them unpacked before we had to leave to meet my mom and Steve for dinner at Ali Baba, which we didn't realize was closed on Sundays. Ha! So we ended up grabbing Mexican food at Matt's Rancho Martinez (yum!).  Last night we watched Moneyball (which someone had surreptitiously snuck into the cart at Tom Thumb), which was so, so good.  If you haven't seen it, you definitely should. 

So there's a (painfully boring) rundown of our weekend.  Don't you wish you were super cool and exciting like us? ;)

Other than that, I just wanted to share pictures of the chair we scored for the master bedroom last weekend.

It's fun, breezy, and beachy without being too beachy.

Plus, we got it for a great deal, which makes me love it even more.

And there you have it.  You're all caught up. :)

Photo A Day Challenge: Week Two

Here are my pictures from the second week of January.  I definitely had to go back and take some of these since I was out of town, but oh well... :)

(And in case you couldn't tell, most of these were taken on my iPhone and played with in Instagram.  I just don't take my big camera around with me most of the time.)