Daytime Date Ideas

Everyday(we almost everyday) feels like a date for Carl and I but I know many of you have kids and getting a babysitter for date night can be tough ,so how about a Day Date, maybe finding a sitter for a Saturday or Sunday might be easier,here are some ideas for this very special daytime date.

• Go out for brunch. Finding a place with nice outdoor seating is a bonus.
• Play golf, mini golf, tennis or beach volleyball.
• Go on a hike, run, or bike ride to enjoy the passing scenery. Don’t forget your camera.
• Go to the beach or lake for a refreshing swim or walk along the shore. If it’s too cold to swim, try flying a kite together.
• Rent a convertible  or any other kind of car and go for a drive in the country. If you can’t afford this option take your own!
• Go on a literary picnic. Pack your favorite novel and plan lunch around the setting of the book. Take turns reading the book aloud to each other. Or camp out at your favorite bookstore and scan the aisles for a new favorite.
• Go to a movie matinee. Sit on the back row and kiss often!!
• Go canoeing or kayaking on a river.
• Visit a local museum.
• Go to a farmer’s market and pick up your favorite food for dinner.
• Play a board game in a local park, like Scrabble, Chess or Checkers.

The most important part of a regular date together is keeping the enjoyment of each other’s company at the forefront. In the business of life this is often the first thing to be neglected, but at what cost! Your relationship will still be there after all your children are grown and gone. What it looks like then depends on how you invest in it now.Carl and I dont have children(yet) and we like to do these types of activities now and someday if we have children we will still take the time to do things like these and make our marriage a priority. Make sure your relationship is a priority too!!!

Blessings,

Heather

Marriage Challenge

I love challenges!!! I especially love challenges that serve to make relationships stronger, so today I am posting a 3o Day Marriage Challenge (if you arent married you could do this challenge with a boy/girl friend, your best friend, even your children, just make a few changes). Once a week I will post an update on the challenge and how its going in my relationship. If you decide to do it also, I would love to hear how its going for you too!!! Here are all the days  challenges listed in order:

1.Ask "what can I help you with today?"
2.Go a whole day without correcting your husband today
3.Hug your husband 3 times today
4.Kiss your husband the first time you see him today
5.Tell yourself " he really loves us and is doing his best for us everyday"
6.Bake, make or buy his favorite food
7.Leave him a sweet note
8.Put at least one date night on your calender this month
9.Imagine what it feels to be in your husbands shoes
10.Todays focus: Kindness
11.Tell him " I am so glad I married you"
12.Pray for wisdom in being a wife
13.Do not use sarcasm with your husband today
14.Remember that being a wife is a blessing
15.Think only positive thoughts about your husband today
16.Thank him for all he does for you and your family
17.Laugh with your husband today
18.Who is a wife you admire? Try to be more like her today
19.Dont ask him to any chores or honey-dos today
20.Todays focus:Patience
21.Forgive him when he makes a mistake
22.Assume the best about your husband today
23.Treat him with respect today
24.Do not interrupt your husband when he talking
25.Ask your husband his opinion today
26.Encourage your husband
27.Do something good for his health today(make a healthy dinner, go for a walk together, make an appointment for his annual checkup)
28.Look at him admiringly, make sure he notices
29.Turn off your cell phone, computer, or tv when he is in the room and give him your full attention
30.Todays focus: Love

I hope you all join me in this challenge, its so important to put your relationships as a priority and show those more important to us, just how important they are!

Blessings,
Heather

Pinterest Challenge Day 1 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Q

Today is day 1 of my Pinterest Challenge I decided to go with something simple...Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies. Here is the finished product

I found the recipe at http://thegspotrevolution.com/?p=6611 and I followed the recipe as directed, mine arent as pretty and round like hers but they are good. They are a gluten free recipe and great for breakfast or a snack.

Pinterest Challenge

I am addicted to Pinterest! About this time last year a friend invited me to Pinterest. I started saving recipes, and fun DIY projects. At first I was trying these things but lately it has become more about pinning the ideas but not doing them. I recently spent an entire after reorganizing all my boards!!!! I have 67 boards with over 4000 pins, thats a lot of internet "hoarding". So I have decided to start putting some of those great ideas to the test! Once a week I will attempt either a recipe, diy or beauty tip and I will share the results with you.I am calling it my "Pinterest Challenge" if you are interested in following me on Pinterest here is the link http://pinterest.com/ashbysowner/, and  if you see something on my pinterest you would like me to try just let me know!!! See you all next week for our first challenge!

Blessings,
Heather

Why Do I Blog??

Why do I blog?? I was pondering this question this morning as I lay in my bed not feeling well. I have 2 blogs, this one and a recipe one. I am a sporatic blogger at best, sometimes letting life get in the way. I was trying to come up with an interesting topic for a blog post and I asked myself why do I blog anyway, no one reads it, no one is interested in reading about your crazy life, you are not an expert on anything , and you are not famous. So why do I write this blog and why should anyone read it?

It all started when I was a child, my real dream in life was to be a writer. I loved reading books and imaged someday writing a book and millions of people flipping through the pages of a novel I had written and escaping into the imaginary world that I had created. Well here I am 35 years later and I am not that famous writer, I have not written that novel yet. I am stay at home wife. A decision my husband and I made together a few years ago. I have a great family, a few wonderful friends and a very happy fulfilling life.

A few years ago I came across my first blog and instantly became a fan. Since then I have found other blogs on different topics. I have learned so much from ordinary woman just like me. Each of these woman all have different life experiences and different gifts to share. I thought I could this, so I started this blog. I had no intentions for it, no idea what it should say, no message I wanted to share. But it has slowly tuned into something I am proud of. I love the name, living a life of joy and gratitude, something that I strive to do everyday and something that has served me well, a life lesson I can share with others. And this is what I have learned over the last little bit, I am an expert on something...living my life. I have lived through a lot of things in my 35 years, some of it not good but most of it wonderful. And if I can share that with others and inspire others to try to live with joy and gratitude then I have accomplished something.

I may not have a huge amount of followers but thats ok, I am greatful for the followers I have and the feedback I have received and the new friends I have made. Through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and the blogs I have been inspired and want to share the things I have learned.

So I blog to share my life and the lessons I have learned so far, to inspire other people and to learn from others. Its my way of being a famous author. Its writing what I know about...me! I blog cause its fun and to let that author inside of me come out. Maybe someday I will sit down and write that book or novel but until then I will write here. My own little space to share my thoughts, my ideas, my story !

Blessings,
Heather

Dreaming Big

First I am so sorry I havent been present in the last couple months. Life has taken over and I have been busy living it, and dreaming big new dreams. First an update on my weight loss. We have just past the 5 month mark and I am at 65 pounds lost and Carl has reached 35 pounds. Its is truly amazing how losing weight changes your life. I cant speak for Carl but I feel like a new person, not just physically but in every other aspect of my life. I am more positive, more energenic. I want to try new things....I have new big dreams!!!!

We recently put our home back up for sale, this time with a real estate agent so we dont have the stress of trying to sell it ourselves. Its such a different experience so far, my only job is to keep the house clean. We have gone to look at a few houses, trying to get an idea of what we can get in our budget and seeing whats out there. This has been a dream of ours for awhile. A house of our own, on our own piece of land, where we can have a pool, a couple dogs, a place to relax and call our own. So hopefully our house sells soon so we can get started on this dream. We know it will happen when its meant to and we know the right house for us will be for sale when its time to buy one.

If you had asked me a year ago what my dreams were I would probably have said having children and having a house. But now with losing weight I have a few new dreams. I am hoping losing weight will help with the dream of having children. But now I can add my new dream of experiencing new things and living life. We recently went on a long weekend vacation that included a lot of physical activity, including a hike in Fundy National Park. I loved it, and I can see a lot of new adventures in our future. Things I always thought would be fun but never were on my radar because I didnt think I could physically do them, I now picture myself doing. Things that I have said no to doing before are now maybes and yeses!!!! I want to hike new places and trails. I want to get a bicycle and start biking, I want to learn how to kayak. I am even open to maybe facing my fear of heights and trying rapelling or maybe even ziplining!!!

I am sure over the next few months, and after I have lost more weight I will have more new dreams to add to my list. I can now allow myself to dream big. A whole new world has opened up to me and I am ready to experience it. My dreams are still pretty simple....to have a house we love, hopefully children to fill it and time with my family and friends. The most important dream I ever had already came true, when Carl came into my life. I could not have asked for a better, more loving and supportive husband to share my dreams with. Everyday I thank God that he has answered my dreams, and given me the ability to dream big new dreams!!

Blessings,
Heather

Weight Loss Update

So it has now been 6 weeks and things are moving along. I have lost a total of 16 pounds! But most importantly this new normal has become a new routine. We dont call it a diet, we know that this cant be something we do, lose weight then go back to the way it was. This is our new normal. The way we want to live our lives for the rest of our lives. Dont get me wrong it hasnt been easy and we have both had rough days and set backs. Carl's has been his bad knee. He popped it out a couple weeks ago and hasnt been able to walk or do any cardio. He has been doing some weights and other exercising but he hasnt lost any weight in the last couple weeks but he has maintained and thats awesome! I have had a few rough days...mostly because when food that I have the most trouble with are around I seem to eat them then I feel quilty. My biggest enemy seems to be breads. I know I have a bread addiction, and I binge snack on it. But I have been working on it and trying to say no to myself. Not an easy thing for me to do, its something I have always done when alone, like eating an extra biscuit after supper while doing the dishes. I have been tempted and I have failed a couple times in the last few weeks, but its ok, I have been more aware that I do it and I have been confessing it to Carl and making myself work a little harder the next day. I am still seeing progress and everytime I get on the scale and see a loss it makes me want to work harder. All of the encouragement I have been getting from my friends and family has been the most motivating though. To hear my mom say she is proud of me, to have people say good job on my weekly facebook updates and to have people say they are beginning to notice changes in my body have been so encouraging and makes me want to work even harder. It keeps me going when I want to give up. The best moment so far was last weekend when I put on a pair of dress pants I havent had on since Christmas. At Christmas time they were tight and I was unable to button the last button and Sunday when I put them on for church they were loose and I was able to button that button I hadnt been able to before. A small victory but one step that I am proud of and I cant wait for more of those victories!!!! I am thinking of starting a new blog to follow my weight loss and share some things I have learned that work and some healthy recipes. Not sure yet but if I do I will let you know!!!