ODAAT – 139 of 366 – Then and Now

Today’s prompt was “Then and Now”

So I opted to use a picture of myself from December to today.

If you are a faithful follower (who never comments *hint hint*) then you know that I am attempting to lose weight and I have been sharing my journey on my blog.

It has been a slow journey, but it is to be expected. I am 38, so my metabolism isn’t what it used to be. I am still attending the Y at least 6 days a week. I can now go 3 miles on the elliptical and actually know what it feels like to be “in the zone” like runner’s experience.

In fact, Carl and I signed up to run a 5k in October in Nashville called The Color Run. It looks like a lot of fun.

So my plan is to redo the Couch to 5k (c25k) program again starting in June to get me ready. I pretty much gave up on running, but now my endurance is so much better. My legs are stronger and my ability to go 2 and 3 miles is definitely improved. Carl told me not to push myself too hard, if I don’t want to run the whole time in the 5k I don’t have too. I told him I know that, but I also don’t want to walk the whole time too.

I still have a way to go before I reach my goal, which for me is to weigh less than 200 pounds. I know I am healthier now than I was 5 months ago, but I also know that I need to get more of this weight off. I’m not attempting to lose weight to be “skinny” – I just want to be healthy. I get discouraged easily, I always have. The weight doesn’t come off fast enough for me or I get stuck and then I just want to say the heck with it all.

But when I look at my before picture, I know I don’t want to go back to that. My clothes fit me better and I just feel better, this is what I want for myself right now.

ODAAT – 138 of 366 – New Friends

Neither of today’s prompts really spoke to me, so I went with a picture of Jorja playing with her new friends.

We recently had “bad” neighbors move out. They fought constantly, were extremely loud at all hours of the day and night. Found out they got behind in their rent for several months, so the landlords had them evicted.

Shortly after, not even two weeks, we had new neighbors move in. I prayed we’d get a nice family with kids. Looks like our prayers have been answered.

Now I just have to work on helping Jorja to realize she doesn’t always get her way when playing with her friends, but this is a lesson most kids have to learn.

ODAAT – 137 of 366 – Chucks

Today’s prompt was “Isolate the subject” – basically to create a picture that draws the viewer directly to your subject.

This is not always an easy task since there is usually a lot of distraction going on in most backgrounds.

I opted to take a picture of my Chucks.

I took them outside and then grabbed a piece of chalk and drew a heart around them.

They are very well worn and well loved, in the winter they are pretty much the only shoes I wear.

ODAAT – 136 of 366 – Chocolate Chip

Today’s prompt “chocolate chip” – now this is an easy one to do.

I cheated, I bought store bought cookies instead of making my own.

But they still taste just as yummy, especially when you have them with milk.

I definitely didn’t have any complaints when I walked in with these from Carl or the kids.

They are definitely a great treat to have any time of year, although I do prefer them fresh from the oven.

ODAAT – 135 of 366 – Daisy

Today Jorja and I dropped off Jayson and Cauner in Glasgow so they could help do a community project with our homeschool group.

They helped picked up garbage from some of the county roads.

So while we were out and about we kept finding flowers everywhere.

I took this picture of the daisy because it is one of Jorja’s favorite flowers.

I’m actually impressed with the amount of stores that decorate the front of their buildings with flowers.

ODAAT – 134 of 366 – Mom

Today’s prompt was “Mom” – now this meant you could post a picture of your mom, yourself or someone else’s mom.

My mom isn’t near enough to me to take a picture, right now.

So I opted to take a picture of the men singing in our choir.

Our church has this tradition of having the men fill the choir loft and sing our favorite songs. They even have the moms fill out a sheet with our top favorites.

They also give out carnations too, that just happens to be one of my favorite flowers.

ODAAT – 133 of 366 – Take 12

Today’s prompt was “Take 12″ – now normally when the twelfth comes around, I go off prompt. It usually involves 12 of something.

Well today, I decided I’d take 12 pictures.

So, while Jorja and I were at the store we stopped and admired all the flowers.

Jorja would read their names and tell me which one I should take a picture of. I think the zinnias were her favorite since I have four of the same flower pictured (top right).

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon while running errands, I love those little moments her and I share together.

ODAAT – 132 of 366 – School’s Out!!

What better way to celebrate the end of the school year then with a trip to Dairy Queen.

Jayson has actually been done since the last week of April, but all of us were done today.

So I now have a fourth grader, a freshmen, and a senior… when did that happen? Jayson is now a senior?

And like all teachers, my job is not officially over yet. I now need to sort through all our books from this year, get them put away in storage and gather up all of next year’s books. I also need to go through all the loose papers we’ve accumulated over the year and find a home for them too – er I mean throw them away. I am not required to keep any documentation when it comes to work. I keep track of their grades, but I don’t keep their papers.

Thankfully, Carl bought us a shelf to put in our storage closet, so now it is easy for me to get to my curriculum when I need it. I go through and sort out our stuff, from math, to reading, to health, to our unit studies. I have to make sure our history curriculum stays together as there are numerous books we use throughout the year. It’s usually a one day task – to sort the books, find their container, bring in the next year’s curriculum, then toss out any papers I no longer need. It’s just not a fun task and I tend to put it off till I get really ambitious, LOL!

But I am thankful to be able to homeschool my kids. I’ve really enjoyed it over the past eight years. I still have at least another eight years to go.

ODAAT – 131 of 366 – Giant Chickens

Why yes, Virginia there really are giant chickens in Kentucky.

This monument company is up the street from where I live.

Before we moved here, we always knew where we needed to turn because you would turn at the giant chickens.

Carl is determined to ride one of these chickens Slim Pickens style – yeehaw!!

No real rhyme or reason for today’s photo, just decided I need a picture of a giant chicken today.

Updated: 5/11/12
I posted the picture of the chicken yesterday, then last night there was a fire at the company that makes the concrete items.

Their building is across the street.

Concrete Company destroyed by fire – it just shows you that it can all be taken away so quickly.

Today they spent most of the day cleaning up. I am not sure what will happen to this company, if they will rebuild or just shut down.

Guess I’m glad I got my picture of the chicken when I did.

ODAAT – 130 of 366 – Old Rugged Cross

This is what I see whenever I drive to Glasgow.

Three crosses standing alone on a hillside.

I believe at one time a church was going to be built here, but for the last four years I’ve lived here, this is all I have seen.

Most days I don’t even notice them, then others I see them and I just marvel at what they represent.

In this day and age being a Christian isn’t always easy. I don’t deal with the same issues the early believers did, but as our society keeps changing my pastor said tonight that in a sense he can now relate to the early believers. Society as a whole generally dictates our morality and the definitions seem to change over time. Society tends to look down on Christians and what they believe, mocking them, calling them names. I’m not extremely vocal with my beliefs because no matter how strongly I feel about something, someone else will hold the opposite position. But like the early believers, they too knew why they stood by their beliefs and never wavered – despite how their society treated them for having those beliefs. I only pray that my resolve never wavers, that I am able to continue to stand for what I believe in despite any outside influences.

“Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a wondrous attraction for me…”