White and sleek

My new vehicle ~ yes, I bit the bullet.  I am ready for winter!  It is a smooth, quiet ride and handles well in dry and rainy weather.  As an AWD, I am sure it will do wonders in the snow.

Thanks for all the advice.  It was taken, reviewed and some was used and some was not.  I think that is how it usually goes.

My goal is to not have to purchase another vehicle for many years  :-)



New Ride?

I have been contemplating [for about a year] getting a different vehicle.

I traded in my CR-V in 2010 for a Honda Civic Hybrid.  Mostly, this was to shed another piece of my past marriage and to help me heal.  I have to say that the car is sporty and gets amazing gas mileage!  However, it is extremely low to the ground which makes driving in the winter snows difficult.

I had mentioned my contemplation to various family members and my dad had a great suggestion which I would like to pass along to the masses ~ rent a vehicle for a week or so to really make sure it is the one you want.  You will save money and headache in the long run, especially if you find you aren't as enamored of the car as you thought you were.

Sage advise from a thought-filled man!

FREEDOM

Yesterday was my 3 year Freedom Anniversary!  I want to thank everyone for the support and love they have shown me during my time of adjusting to freedom from the bondages of abuse.

The Lord has carried me through and I praise His name each day in thanksgiving :-)

This is short but I wanted to share my joy in freedom!

Autumn is here



Autumn has arrived. I have begun some ‘preparations’ for the cooler weather.


• Outside faucets drained and covered
• Window air-conditioner removed and stored
• Hoses in shed

I still need to do some raking. I have no trees in my yard; however, the neighbors’ trees haven’t lost all their leaves yet. I can wait 

I have put out my “fall” decorations in the house. I have a couple of pillows and some Partylite leaf tealight holders to place on shelves.

My house is not situated in the “line of fire” for trick-or-treaters, so I don’t put any decorations outside.

I love pumpkin and all of the yummies it can be made into. I just found this recipe for Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bread that I am anxious to try – I can just imagine the smell that will fill my little home.

Update on the newlyweds for those interested: doing well. Both busy with each working two jobs and my daughter in her last year at GU. I used to see her in the evenings at home and that was about it; now since she doesn’t live at home we try to connect at church service on Sundays.

Keeping On



Hmmm, it has been a few weeks since I “logged in” to my blog.

After the wedding, I got back to doing my evening walking workouts with Leslie Sansone’s DVDs. In Home Walking is a great idea for those that are uncomfortable exercising in public – whether that is on the sidewalks or in gyms. It also incorporates resistance training for the upper body – yahoo!

I am pleased to report that I have been told by multiple people that they can see a difference. I also tried on a top the other day that was a bit small. It fits great!

I am getting ready to add a morning routine for an added ‘boost of burning’ :-)

I have decided to take Sundays off as a day of rest – at least from a specific workout, because I am definitely busy on Sundays with church-oriented activities.

I get these awesome daily devotional e-mails from Heartlight. Here is one from the other day:

         Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

What a wonderful reminder that our Lord cares for us always!

Blessings :-)



I made it!

No breakdowns, freakouts or plain old crying jags.  I believe I have survived the first 2 1/2 weeks of being a single empty-nester.

I am sure this has much to do with the prayers of my small group, friends and family ~ thank you!

I have decided not to replace the TV I gave to my daughter and her husband.  I am so enjoying the reading I have been doing.  I know with the cooler weather and shorter days, I will begin with some crafting, too.

Fall is moving ever closer and that means school starting, small group getting back together, winterizing the home and snuggling in for the winter months.

I am so blessed by the Lord and I hope to share the blessings with others!

Aftermath

Whew, the whirl~wind has come to an end. I am officially a single empty-nester. My daughter is now a “Mrs.” It was an exciting ride and I don’t think I am ‘normal’ yet. I have a feeling that will set in over the weekend.

I am so thankful for all of the family and friends that joined my daughter and her husband for the ceremony and reception. A celebration of a journey being started – a blessing of family and friends to share it with.

In other news, I have planted some of my native, low-watering plants in the front yard. I have solar lights along the walkway, too. It is coming along nicely. I will be planting the groundcover in the spring. I am also hoping to build raised garden beds this fall in my side yard.

I am blessed with a wonderful network of family and friends to help me through this transition of being a mom with a child at home to a mom with a married child.

Thank you everyone!!