tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50544948364232550152024-02-21T21:36:15.355-08:00Share the JourneyLet us run with perseverance.Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-23026963838365305172015-04-27T11:39:00.001-07:002015-04-27T11:39:17.642-07:002015 Courage Classic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We’re excited to let you all know that this summer we will ride more than 150 miles in the 26th Courage Classic bicycle tour benefiting Children’s Hospital Colorado. Over the next few months we will train to conquer climbs up multiple passes through our beautiful Rocky Mountains. Powering our bikes for three days straight will challenge us, but our primary goal is to raise money for children and families who rely on Children’s Colorado. We hope to collectively raise $2.8 million for kids like Madelyn Hill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Madelyn is a very sweet friend of ours and is almost 7 years old and two weeks after she turned one, her journey with Children’s Hospital began. At that time the physicians concluded that Madelyn had deep vein thrombosis, portal vein, causing portal vein hypertension, an enlarged spleen and esophageal varices. Madelyn is now a life-long DHI/GI patient and will always have endoscopy procedures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Over the last several years, I have been blessed to become one of Madelyn’s “Scope Buddy’s.” “It truly has been such a blessing for me to be able to pray with them, build legos, watch movies or just be there to hold Miss Madelyn and her sweet family while they go through these procedures.” It’s been an incredibly humbling experience as well, to not only witness what Madelyn and her precious family must go through, but all the brave kids and their families at Children’s Hospital Colorado!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEa3MSE_fol9A3c6BMeMQ-5_OhQk7pbMFtiY_oikUGsQjFe6OOxM4VyvdK6EVFqyntvco458T3-6cuubwYP4mpzKojSZKoS2HUEKqBxd4PCSVpdDVU9IPrznTwP6l2nobqy_ODgKlCms/s1600/IMG_26232b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEa3MSE_fol9A3c6BMeMQ-5_OhQk7pbMFtiY_oikUGsQjFe6OOxM4VyvdK6EVFqyntvco458T3-6cuubwYP4mpzKojSZKoS2HUEKqBxd4PCSVpdDVU9IPrznTwP6l2nobqy_ODgKlCms/s1600/IMG_26232b.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a picture of Madelyn and I at Children’s after her scope last summer. “It’s a very special memory I will always cherish. She was so excited to show me her new bible while we waited to leave the hospital after an endoscopy. It was a sweet reminder of God’s faithfulness through each child’s journey!” We love this sweet girl and her family so much!<br /><br />Not only will Josh and I be riding, but our 8 year old daughter, Kylee will be riding 20 miles on day two of the Courage Classic to support these kids as well. We are honored to not only ride for Madelyn, but also for Joel Belt who is battling Pulmonary Hypertension, Cross Evans who is battling Leukemia, Kaylee Remmich who is battling Medulloblastoma and the many, many other kids and their families fighting their own battles and benefiting from the care at Children’s Hospital Colorado! We would be honored if you would support these kids, their families and Children’s Hospital Colorado by donating to our ride!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I look forward to sharing our journey as a team with each of you! </span><br />
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<a href="http://support.childrenscoloradofoundation.org/site/TR/CourageClassic/General?team_id=2201&pg=team&fr_id=1200" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Click below to support any of the rider's on our team!</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Blessings to you and thank you for your consideration,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Krystal </span></div>
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One thing I cherish so much in our home (even though it doesn't happen all the time) is having dinner together as a family. I love the time together, catching up with each other and just reconnecting a bit. Now don't get me wrong, sometimes there's arguing, complaining or silence. Monday evening, the conversation went like this:<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"><u>Josh</u> - 'How was your day at work?'</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"><u>Me</u> - 'Oh, it was okay. Just a little overwhelmed though as I just feel like I'm putting fires out and not getting much accomplished and getting behind.'</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"><u>Jayce</u> - 'Mom, why don't you just borrow my Lego Fire Truck to help you put out your fires?'</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"><u>Me</u> - 'Oh, Jayce that's so sweet of you, but they're not real fires.'</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"><u>Jayce</u> - 'Well it's not a real fire truck either'</span><br />
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The next morning, Jayce brought me his fire truck, so that I could take it to work for a couple days to help me with my 'fires.' I love this little boy's sense of humor and how God used him to remind me that these little battles I've been dealing with at work and at home needed a little perspective. They're not near as big of deal as I was feeling they were and I just needed to take a deep breath and realize these aren't real fires and God's got this! <br />
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May you also find a little perspective in the midst of your battle and find peace in God's grace! And if means putting a toy fire truck on your desk as a visual reminder, then do that too!</div>
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As we enter a weekend, I'm going to rest on God's promise in Matthew 11:28. 'Come to me, those who are weary, and I will give you rest.' </div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-74795660346347490812014-12-20T19:21:00.001-08:002014-12-20T19:21:10.616-08:00Merry Christmas & A Season of ChangeFirst of all we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours! What an incredible blessing it is to celebrate our savior's birth! Things have been a bit crazy for us and I just wanted to update everyone on some changes coming our way in this new 'Season of Change.'<br />
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The month of December has been full of challenges, illness, emotions and blessings! The month began with me traveling for two consecutive weeks for work. The meetings were great and it's always nice to reconnect to others we work with within CHS. I was certainly ready to get home though. Over the last six weeks our little family has also dealt with colds, the stomach bug and 3 out of 4 getting the flu. Although this too was a bit challenging, it was a reminder of what a blessing it is for us all to love on one another. We've also had to prepare for some very dear friends to move, which has been a lot harder than I ever imagined. Needless to say, I've been an emotional wreck!<br />
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So this next 'Season of Change' entails us moving! Now don't panic, we're not moving very far. Joshua just recently accepted a Foreman position with Y-W Electric (the same company he's worked for over the last 14 years). Although this is exciting and I'm so very proud of him, it does require us to move so that he can respond to outages in the required timeframe. We'll be moving to Otis (30 miles west of where we live now) in about a year. This will give us time to prepare to sell our house. This comes with a lot of details for us to figure out as well (finding a place to rent while we're in between houses, making plans to build a new house, deciding when the kids will change schools, etc.). Otis will be a great location for us as it will be half way between my work and Joshua's but it's certainly going to be a journey for us to get there.<br />
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Those of you who have followed our many house projects can imagine the emotional struggle it is to even think about selling our house. This is our first home, the home we brought both of our babies to, the home Joshua has put countless hours into remodeling/finishing, a place we have grown to love and have created countless memories in. God has shown me so much throughout the last couple of weeks and reminded me that the walls of a home aren't near as precious as those we share the inside of our home with! I pray that the next family who owns this house will cherish the memories they create within these walls!<br />
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This last month has been a bit exhausting to be completely honest, but God has been faithful through every bit of it. We've also had to take some time to just rest, even if it meant staying home from church (which we have greatly missed). We can't thank our dear friends and family enough for loving on us and praying for us through this season. I've also been reminded that even though this season seems challenging, it's really not that big of deal and is a very small part of our journey here on this earth! A dear friend shared once how if our eternal life was represented by the size of our thumb, these seasons are merely a speck on our thumb! A perfect reminder for any of us going through a challenging season!<br />
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2015 will be a season of change but we are certain God will carry us every step of the way. I'm praying that you will feel God's presence in whatever season you are in as well!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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KrystalKrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-37791065656072146432014-11-30T10:06:00.000-08:002014-11-30T10:06:21.274-08:00Blacktop for Black FridayOh my dear friends, I have so much to catch up on in this little journey of mine. I apologize in advance as my posts may be a bit sporadic and random for a while (that seems to be how our lives have been a bit lately too). I've enjoyed taking a break from blogging for the last several months, but oh how I've missed sharing and connecting with you all.<br />
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We've had a lovely Thanksgiving with my in-laws in Western Kansas. The kids absolutely love one on one time with Gramma Chelle and played games, painted, sewed (they made the bags and hats in the picture below), went to the park and played outside. It's such a blessing to see these special relationships grow!<br />
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When we were packing and getting ready to head to Western Kansas I checked the weather to determine what clothes needed to be packed. When I saw the weather was in the 60's and 70's, our packing requirements changed :) <br />
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Although we spent some time doing some Black Friday shopping online, we were excited to hit the 'Blacktop for Black Friday' as well! Josh's mom and dad blessed us so much by keeping the kiddos so that we could go on a ride/date together. The weather was absolutely gorgeous (despite a bit of wind). We started heading south of Leoti and had set out to ride 40 miles. It was a bit of an aggressive goal as neither of us had been on our bikes in about two months. I've still been cross training and running, but I forget how different biking is. We had a decent head/side wind heading south but as you can see on the map, we had about 5 miles where we headed east and oh my goodness was that fun with the wind pushing us!!! Joshua ended up going about 35 miles an hour and I hit about 25 miles an hour during this part of the ride. My only problem was about halfway through this fun little jaunt, I realized we were going to turn around soon and have to ride with a nasty headwind. Yuck! <br />
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When we first started biking, we both got Garmin Edge 510's, which have a live tracking option. Josh's parents and the kids really enjoyed following us on the computer. They could see where we were on the map, how fast (or how slow) we were riding, when we stopped, etc. They're a bit expensive but definitely worth it for safety purposes, great for collecting data, and make it fun for friends and family to follow too!<br />
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We made it to our halfway point at the Kearny county line and had to stop for a few fun pictures. A special little friend of ours was riding her bike today too (in Colorado), so we told each other we would share pictures as if we were riding together (hence the goofy pictures of Josh). I just love how technology can bridge miles between special friends! #teamMadelyn<br />
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I love this guy and his fun personality! I never would have guessed 3 years ago that we would be doing things like running half marathons or biking 40 miles together. Truly blessed!</div>
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It was a hard ride but we finished the 40 miles together! It's pretty incredible how God created us and what our bodies are capable of accomplishing! <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!</span></div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-76888103304921233112014-07-30T18:45:00.002-07:002014-07-30T18:52:04.918-07:00Slacker Half Marathon 2014 Race Recap ~ Our First Run-Cation!<br />
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<span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">There's nothing like running 13.1 miles to celebrate 13 years of being married to this incredible man God brought into my life many years ago!</span></div>
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Now that our kiddos have gotten a bit older, they're starting to enjoy summer trips to see Grandparents in the summer, while Mommy and Daddy enjoy some alone time. As hard as it is to be away from them, it's always a great reminder that we are husband and wife first, and daddy and mommy second. My mother-in-law came and picked up the kiddos on that Wednesday and then Thursday Josh and I headed to the mountains. Last year we went to Dillon, CO to stay the night before I ran the <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/07/race-dayslacker-half-marathon.html" target="_blank">Slacker Half Marathon</a> and it was just beautiful, but we didn't really have the time to enjoy the area, so we were excited to have a little extra time this trip!<br />
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We took our time traveling to Dillon and once again we were just blown away by the view. Friday morning we enjoyed not being wakened by an alarm or little people and then went for a 2 mile run just to get rid of some pre-race jitters and to adjust to the elevation (or try to anyway). The run along the Dillon lake was absolutely gorgeous! After we ran 2 miles we walked and chatted for 2 more miles. I remember telling Joshua how had we not started this journey of becoming more active, we wouldn't have even taken the time to enjoy such a beautiful run/walk. <br />
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Is this view not just breathtaking? God is SO good!!!</div>
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This wonderful man has always supported my journey to getting healthier, </div>
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but absolutely nothing compares to being on this journey together!</div>
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This little morning run was a perfect reminder of why I enjoy this sport so much!</div>
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Dinner at the Dam Brewery. Oh, he always makes me laugh!</div>
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Great food, a lovely glass of wine and the best company :)</div>
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Saturday morning finally came and it was time to head to Georgetown to be bused to the Loveland Ski area. The temperature at the starting line was about 38 degrees and I was SO cold. I had such a hard time taking off my sweatshirt, but I knew it was going to warm up quickly and I wasn't about to make the same mistake I did last year by dressing too warm. To be honest though, I even had tears it was so cold. But leave it to my husband to help me relax and get excited to run!<br />
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When we said 'I do' 13 years ago, I never would have dreamed about this very moment! This was one of the most incredible times in our marriage. Love him so much!!!</div>
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I felt so much better about this race than I did a year ago. It's fun when you know what to expect and know the course. For some reason though, I REALLY struggled through miles 5-7. I started to have stomach cramps really bad, which I'm sure was due to the elevation and not eating and drinking enough before we got started. I really didn't want to walk or stop at ALL through the entire race, but the cramping got so bad that I had no choice but to walk for just a bit and catch my breath. Once I did, the rest of the race was enjoyable! I have to say that the encouragement from the other Team Beef members and runners was awesome at this race too!<br />
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This picture was around mile 10! I can't believe I actually had a smile.</div>
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I'm so incredible proud of Joshua for completing his first half marathon race! He wanted to finish in under two hours, but believe it or not... he finished in TWO HOURS AND ONE MINUTE! He's still a bit bitter about the fact that the bottleneck of runners at the starting line and a potty break prevented him from meeting his goal. I'm still so incredibly proud of him!!!<br />
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I struggled again right before the finish line, but there my hubby was to help me finish as he ran with me the last little bit (even after he had already finished his half marathon)! I finished in 2:20 which was 7 minutes faster than what I ran it a year ago, so I was happy! It was such an incredible reminder of this journey we're on together.<br />
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We celebrated finishing and then headed back to Dillon to relax and enjoy our last evening away. I still struggle with getting headaches when I run 10 miles or more from getting dehydrated, so I was prepared for one to come and ready for a nap. One of these days, I'll get it figured out :)<br />
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After a nap and dinner we went to the Dillon Ampitheatre and enjoyed some live bluegrass music, a beautiful sunset and a gorgeous view of the mountains and lake. I've never felt so refreshed and connected to my dear husband than I did after this trip. <br />
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I hope that we can plan another Run-cation together (I would even love for this to be an annual event for us). It was definitely one of the best trips we've had together! Fellow married couples ~ I challenge you to think outside the box on your next getaway. Although, we've really enjoyed other trips, planning and preparing for this one was incredibly special and certainly some memories I will cherish! </div>
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After such a special getaway, we were certainly ready to get the kiddos home! </div>
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We all made some pretty special memories and we're so grateful for the time our kiddos get to have with their grandparents!!!</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-89031875871375972642014-07-06T21:25:00.000-07:002014-07-06T21:25:08.093-07:00Stitch Fix #8 ReviewAs I've shared before, I really enjoy <a href="http://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3182623" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a>! I've had several fixes over the last several months, but haven't shared about my experience in a while so I thought I would take a minute as I really enjoyed my recent fix. I also wanted my stylist to see the clothes she picked out for me. I hate shopping, but have enjoyed someone else overhauling my closet, because it REALLY needed it. I love how Stitch Fix has also recently changed how you can set up your automatic 'fixes.' I was doing it once a month, but I found that was a bit too much. So, I've set up to get a 'fix' every other month, which has been just right to update my closet while being a bit easier on the budget.<br />
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Here's a recap of the 5 items I received this time. I apologize, the pictures aren't great, but I greatly appreciate the effort from my husband. <br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">1. Fuchsia Jo Maxi Skirt - $58</span> ~ I have a confession to make with this one. I've never been a huge fan of Maxi skirts. Part of the issue is being so short, they never look quite right. When I submitted my feedback, I shared the same thing with my Stitch Fix stylist, but told her that I would give it a try. Then after trying it on again, it was actually one of my favorites in this fix! I love how the more my stylist gets to know me, the more she pushes me outside of my comfort zone.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">2. Light Pink Rosco Floral Print Crochet Detail Tank - $58 </span>~ I had pinned several crochet tops on my Pinterest board, so my stylist sent me a couple of them. I love how you can pin items you like on Pinterest and then similar items show up in your fix. It's almost like magic :)<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">3. Ally Teardop Stone Bangle - $88</span> ~ Again, I had pinned several bangle bracelets that I liked on Pinterest, so Jocelyn sent me one with this fix. I've always struggled with accessories, so it's been fun to get them in my fixes as well!<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">4. Alison Sleeveless Colorblock Dress - $68</span> ~ I asked for something fun for Independence Day with this fix. It's a fun dress to dress up or dress down.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">5. Dane Crochet Panel Knit Shirt - $54</span> ~ Sorry, the picture of this top just doesn't do it justice. I love the crochet detail of this top and it has cute details on the back too. A fun top to wear with jeans, shorts or a skirt.<br />
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I have had the same stylist from the beginning and Jocelyn, I hope you continue to be my stylist! I also appreciate the fact that you save 25% if you keep everything in your fix.<br />
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For my next fix, I've asked <a href="http://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3182623" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a> to help me plan for family photos since they did such a great job last year when I asked for something in dark green or brown. They sent me this adorable green jacket (the jeans were from Stitch Fix too). I absolutely loved not having to stress over my outfit for family pictures.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9v7izFqcqP6humwXV88fhIlargWE5BpMO8a8szfy2NNYzc1GoIKbPdlH8JpnBditzGsBUVBNtDoKUDhTWsj8lcAHrrZDAZRz0ry5Cfskqbr_0C1u4gGU1rGyXaBFn0cPekh_c6TDMt8/s1600/SF2A7452spe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9v7izFqcqP6humwXV88fhIlargWE5BpMO8a8szfy2NNYzc1GoIKbPdlH8JpnBditzGsBUVBNtDoKUDhTWsj8lcAHrrZDAZRz0ry5Cfskqbr_0C1u4gGU1rGyXaBFn0cPekh_c6TDMt8/s1600/SF2A7452spe.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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It really is a wonderful service due to the fact that I live so far away from places to shop, I have no fashion sense, don't like to shop, but am really starting to like fun clothes for the first time in many, many years!<br />
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Thanks <a href="http://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3182623" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a>!<br />
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KrystalKrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-28571157352856465682014-07-06T09:38:00.001-07:002014-07-06T09:38:59.269-07:00The Kids' First 5K ~ Race RecapAs I've mentioned before 5k's are not my favorite race distance these days, but doing it as a family and with friends makes it my absolute favorite distance! We debated whether or not to do a local 5k race even up to a couple days before just simply due to the fact that our schedules have been so busy lately and it was a week before our half marathon race in the mountains. Once the kids got excited about it, we knew we needed to take the morning to encourage our kids and let it be their race :). It was also the first race for a dear friend of ours, so we were excited to run with her and her dear sister as well. We love this local race, it's a small and friendly run. <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/06/first-family-race-recap.html" target="_blank">Last year this race was our very first family run.</a> Thanks Lifestyle Fitness, for another wonderful race!<br />
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The kids were so cute getting ready for their race first thing in the morning. There's something so encouraging and fun about sharing our love for running and taking care of our bodies with our kids! God has designed our bodies to move and it's so fun to share this message as a family! We also enjoy sharing the message that lean beef is a great source of protein for active families!!! I apologize for the picture overload of this race... it was just such a special morning!<br />
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We were so proud of these kiddos!</div>
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Our dear friend helped design these adorable tanks. We just love how cute they are and the message of Hebrews 12:1-2 it shares! Rachael and Sara are such sweet sisters and so incredibly encouraging, sweet, Godly women. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, for sharing this special day with us!!!</div>
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Oh, how I love this girl! She has prayed, encouraged and reminded me of God's purpose on this journey from the very beginning!</div>
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Last year I ran with Kylee and Daddy ran with Jayce, so we decided to switch it up this year. Two years ago, I never would have dreamed that I would see an image like this. An incredible Daddy sharing such a special moment with his little girl!</div>
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I had no idea how much I would learn about my little dude through this race! I have spent time working with Kylee on how to keep her pace, how to do run/walk intervals, but I hadn't worked with Jayce at all. I was fully prepared for him to run a couple of blocks and then we would walk the remaining 5k, but oh boy did he surprise me. This silly 5 year old took off at a sprint and ran for well over a mile without walking. I had absolutely no idea he had it in him. I also discovered how incredibly competitive he is. It was a great reminder that there are other lessons to be learned running a race besides encouraging physical fitness. I had to discuss with Jayce that the race is a great opportunity to encourage others and that it's important to finish the race! This little guy touched my heart as anytime he passed or was passed by someone he reached out to give them a high five :)</div>
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Sweet Sara was definitely Jayce's budy! She was so incredibly kind and gentle with him.</div>
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When I asked Kylee what her favorite part of the race was, she didn't even hesitate to say that it was crossing the finish line with these ladies! I don't think it matters how many races or how old you are, there's something amazing about each finish line! </div>
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After a strong start, some tears and a piggy back ride on mommy, little dude finished strong!</div>
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This is one of my favorite pictures of the morning! I love how Josh hurried to get to the finish line, so that he could capture these three lovely ladies coming across the finish line together. </div>
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Kylee encouraging her little brother as he finished!</div>
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This was little dude's favorite part of the race... getting a snack when he finished!</div>
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Another one of my favorite pictures of the day. These two ladies have such a special relationship! And what a special way to deepen their friendship, running their first 5k together! </div>
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Thanks Miss Rach, we love you so much!!!</div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">Run the Race, Persevere & Focus on Christ!</span></div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-77086585322305272612014-04-27T17:18:00.001-07:002014-04-27T17:23:12.385-07:00A New JourneyOh my friends, I'm beyond thrilled to make an announcement here on my blog! I've shared it with a few close friends (I'm sure those following me on Pinterest have started to figure it out as well), but I know the power of prayer, so I wanted to share my announcement and ask that you join me in prayer as we prepare for this next journey that God is leading us on!<br />
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I've prayed and visited with some of my closest friends about trying to figure out God's purpose for this journey over the last two years of getting healthy, growing closer to God and becoming the wife and mother God has called me to be (which is obviously still a work in progress). I know God works all things for His glory, but it's difficult at times to see His plan and to be patient for His timing.<br />
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Friends, this world we live in can be a bit scary and quite frankly it scares me at times as a parent. My hearts desire is to seek God's wisdom in raising these kids. Over the last 8 months or so, I've absolutely loved working with kids. Whether it's been through our AWANA program, substituting for Sunday school classes or helping in Kylee's class at school. There's just something about working with these kids that brings true joy to my heart. I was asked one day to do 'story time' during AWANA for the Sparks group and I shared a fun devotion about how running physically is quite similar to running spiritually. I had so much fun sharing with these kids and they seem to enjoy the lesson too.<br />
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Well a few weeks ago, God laid it on my heart to develop a Christ centered girls running group! It really is in its infant stages right now. I'm still praying about it, working on the devotions/object lessons, naming the group, and working out all of the details. It will probably take over a year to work out all of the details, but I'm SO incredibly excited to see God work through this! The purpose of this group will be to teach girls (ages 8-12) over an 8 week period (meeting twice a week) about spiritual and physical health through devotions, team building games, health tips and coaching them to run a 5k. I'm clearly not an expert, but I am on fire for Jesus in this adventure and pray I learn and grow right along with these girls!<br />
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One goal before kicking off this program is to coach my sweet girl through running her first 5k. Needless to say Miss Ky will be my guinea pig. I simply asked her this afternoon when she wanted to start running and she was so excited to say 'TODAY.' Needless to say we grabbed our 'Kid's couch to 5k program' and headed to the treadmill (the weather is a bit ugly today to do anything outside).<br />
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When Kylee handed me her little clipboard, she had this sweet sticky note on it. I just love it!</div>
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I remember having this exact feeling after completing day 1 of the couch to 5k program two years ago! If I needed some affirmation about this girls group, I think it's in this little girls face!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgHgjfnwr5OHDi9HRcjGgmaXyXPEAvAoG7yXwbyfiSJY1Aj_6nw56gPknqwSh7Rzp9x7lr9hwvXL65DrlFzZskGv3xbVJunxyrnn-33aP5oIFZ7kJI6f9JRfD7mCDyLnwX7SEVuPXXXY/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgHgjfnwr5OHDi9HRcjGgmaXyXPEAvAoG7yXwbyfiSJY1Aj_6nw56gPknqwSh7Rzp9x7lr9hwvXL65DrlFzZskGv3xbVJunxyrnn-33aP5oIFZ7kJI6f9JRfD7mCDyLnwX7SEVuPXXXY/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Baby girl, I'm so excited to go on this new journey with you. Ky grabbed her iPhone to listen to some music while she ran (she's watched Mommy too much) and she was so excited about the song she had picked out to start her run with... <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftgPJyG5_L4" target="_blank">'God Girl' by Jamie Grace</a>. This song is very near to both Kylee and I. She absolutely loves the song, I love the message and Kylee has touched my heart with this song when I hear her sing it at the top of her lungs while she's in the shower or playing in her room. Sing it girl!!!</div>
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With that... we have officially picked out the name of our group <span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">'God Girls Run'</span>.</div>
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Just this morning at church we heard a message about bringing God glory in all we do. It was a great reminder to stay humble and focused on Him in all we do! <br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">May we bring glory to God as we share His love to girls in our community through this journey!!! I can't thank the sweet girlfriends who have already prayed for and encouraged us on this journey. You are all such a blessing!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Thank you all in advance for praying for 'God Girls Run' and for allowing me to share this journey with you!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Blessings,</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Krystal</span></div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-4181965070728600502014-04-23T05:05:00.000-07:002014-04-23T05:05:55.760-07:00A Different kind of 'Workout'As I shared on my page, I was finally able to get in a 10 mile run in on Saturday. It's been since last fall that I had a long run in the double digits, so it felt great to hit that milestone again. Since then though, my workouts have looked a bit different. My husband calls it his bootcamp. He says the best part is it's free and saves me time on my normal workouts.<br />
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First of all due to Joshua's recent bootcamp implementation, I must admit that had he not gotten up this morning to run on the treadmill, I would have stayed in bed for another rest day, which would have been two rest days in a row!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRMsBa5jrynTKD2p6W7ALUYA4-w0x8FjH5H7rQhgdgokRuRwd3-boR-7iNGuGUN5hqKXVI4fdj7o1p_kXG-cChYEY57oBLzM8JXil5F8PbQ9SvhpmltehzPbmLQPQwSF2Q5_N0tmaWDA/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRMsBa5jrynTKD2p6W7ALUYA4-w0x8FjH5H7rQhgdgokRuRwd3-boR-7iNGuGUN5hqKXVI4fdj7o1p_kXG-cChYEY57oBLzM8JXil5F8PbQ9SvhpmltehzPbmLQPQwSF2Q5_N0tmaWDA/s1600/photo.PNG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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So, here's what my workouts have looked like over the last several days. After my ten mile run on Saturday, I helped Joshua finish the ceiling in our basement. I can't even tell you how many times I went up and down the ladder and the stairs to clean up some of the trash from the project! We really like how it's coming together!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dglM6XEb2M3dTk0sIgIt4hbssgp584m2KNcOi3OeSAFVZcrbQk2gBRN_uzJoQ44p5mFRl2eE5zCCYccDCA6C07f10JQci7vgq0h8JjKFQkzFX_K2ZWVV8Rmfk3W-BZbYlsY-MQuACJU/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dglM6XEb2M3dTk0sIgIt4hbssgp584m2KNcOi3OeSAFVZcrbQk2gBRN_uzJoQ44p5mFRl2eE5zCCYccDCA6C07f10JQci7vgq0h8JjKFQkzFX_K2ZWVV8Rmfk3W-BZbYlsY-MQuACJU/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sunday, we enjoyed our Easter morning with our church family. My dear hubby and I filled in for the 5th and 6th grade Sunday school class and had such a great time with those kids (and I think we made a pretty good team). After we came home we worked on the basement a bit more. We've given ourselves a goal to have this project finished before a lot of our summer travel plans arrive! I spent Sunday afternoon moving all of the laminate floor across the basement as well as from out in the shop. This was quite a task :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjft4ent5dEDFq15OwbHI4myaotkCYzEox1i8UQ-YOtuoARLwdhr1J3YWRoLacQCc7eGZWKieDWRk0AOfFfs21lhIVSrSSLlR1t3CRq9bJoTn5V8nPV0d1PkIjllmjpHa5qLhKbFSd18bs/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjft4ent5dEDFq15OwbHI4myaotkCYzEox1i8UQ-YOtuoARLwdhr1J3YWRoLacQCc7eGZWKieDWRk0AOfFfs21lhIVSrSSLlR1t3CRq9bJoTn5V8nPV0d1PkIjllmjpHa5qLhKbFSd18bs/s1600/photo.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Monday night I asked my dear hubby what else I could help with. He told me that I could take out the laminate flooring out of the craft room. We're both a little frustrated as there's nothing wrong with this flooring other than we don't care for the color and wanted it to match the rest of the basement. I carefully took it out trying to minimize damaging any pieces, as we're going to try and sell the flooring.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZjibMDRGkH3fYFIuGLIow-v44Bw9SFM8Crh7tfOep5izS_hfCCHdn5QT_JxDLyVi18pEhIkBbro3vhnkrwV7RkRhC5GeGsUDq1iBGQsdty-eodQgr75OfH3xsjRiphhpE-J8HVxFQrc/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZjibMDRGkH3fYFIuGLIow-v44Bw9SFM8Crh7tfOep5izS_hfCCHdn5QT_JxDLyVi18pEhIkBbro3vhnkrwV7RkRhC5GeGsUDq1iBGQsdty-eodQgr75OfH3xsjRiphhpE-J8HVxFQrc/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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And here's Joshua working on the stairs. This part has to be done before we can lay the new flooring and wrap up the basement project!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHyAhFmN7G9DLU786kJ2cW0qR753-tUNwxuGj0ZBJSdLQr2kqxzA7p26wevtpV3VQpdA_SLbRBoAT5D-PZxtDg-JElsgB7c-fEHBCdDEpguj4lBKq-IN1gA74CnuwsSx2aHiht1Id7vE/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHyAhFmN7G9DLU786kJ2cW0qR753-tUNwxuGj0ZBJSdLQr2kqxzA7p26wevtpV3VQpdA_SLbRBoAT5D-PZxtDg-JElsgB7c-fEHBCdDEpguj4lBKq-IN1gA74CnuwsSx2aHiht1Id7vE/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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My intent of this post is to encourage you to think outside the box with your workouts. I started to fall into the trap that I needed to complete my regular workouts on top of these projects. My body quickly reminded me that it's okay to have a few days where you're not adding miles or reps. It's also been quite rewarding to work beside this man and actually be of some help.</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-6597921604377313292014-04-18T13:45:00.002-07:002014-04-18T13:45:56.437-07:00More than Just a Mirror!Oh, how I've missed blogging lately. Our DIY projects have been taking up a lot of my time lately! As I've shared, we've been working a lot on our basement to finish an entertainment room, a fitness room and a craft room. While we continue to gather supplies and work on these projects, my dear husband's shop has become rather full and difficult to get around. <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-trip-to-city.html" target="_blank">Last month we went and picked up a custom mirror for the fitness room and it's been sitting in the shop ever since.</a><br />
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Last night Joshua shared with me that sometime this weekend, we really need to get the mirror moved out of the shop so that it doesn't get broke out there and so that he can actually get to some things out there. After some discussion of whether or not I would be able to lift it and help him get it down the stairs, we decided to go for it! The mirror is 68"x84" and REALLY heavy! What did I just get myself into?!?<br />
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Joshua worked on a game plan of putting styrofoam underneath the mirror and blankets around most of it so that we could slide it whenever necessary and sit it down to rest when necessary. As this dear man began coaching me through this process of getting this very large, heavy and awkward mirror into the house, down the stairs, and hung on the wall, this experience become much more than just moving a mirror (I wish I would have taken a picture of that part of the process). He could tell by the look on my face that I still wasn't convinced I had the strength to do it!<br />
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On Wednesday nights I help with our AWANA program at church and each of the kindergartners I work with can tell you that one of my favorite verses is Joshua 1:9. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> your God will be with you wherever you go." God used Joshua to remind me of this special verse and powerful truth.<br />
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My dear husband was so patient with me! At the moments when I felt like I was getting too tired to continue, he gave me just the words of encouragement I needed, reminding me that I was strong enough to do it. But he also never let me forget that he was also there to protect me when the task was getting a bit difficult. There's no way that I would have had the strength to do this two years ago at the beginning of my journey. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #ea9999;"><b>God is faithful and He's preparing us today for what He has in store for us tomorrow!</b></span></span></span></div>
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We did it! You know you have a big mirror when you have to use a ladder to clean it! I was SO excited to be done with getting the mirror hung! </div>
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PLUS can you tell I'm just a little excited about our fitness room starting to come together?</div>
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It required team work to clean the mirror too!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0w4pXQ7W1VLAIl8RTCGllJNgj1Glzt93K7o4dRUo-HKp4YL-nab82HpE7yAj3PzktjiItlTqqQSfQkrJSF37Miwq_Kd2Ow8RWxHJN3WhvswRa01jawl2cp8Oj9IwRQVixAIrZxzZ2S9M/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0w4pXQ7W1VLAIl8RTCGllJNgj1Glzt93K7o4dRUo-HKp4YL-nab82HpE7yAj3PzktjiItlTqqQSfQkrJSF37Miwq_Kd2Ow8RWxHJN3WhvswRa01jawl2cp8Oj9IwRQVixAIrZxzZ2S9M/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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The best part of this DIY project was the hug and embrace from my husband after we accomplished this task by ourselves. And although we're both a bit tired of this project (and have a ways to go yet), I will never get tired of working on projects with this man! </div>
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On a side note, the french doors/windows from the fitness room lead to the craft room!</div>
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We're excited about our basement finally coming together but I was far more grateful for God's reminder that HE is my strength and courage in all things, even the silly task of moving and hanging a mirror!!!<br />
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Krystal <br />
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-59848587140637378862014-03-30T18:21:00.000-07:002014-03-30T18:24:56.202-07:00I FINALLY Started 'Fueling'As I've shared before, my husband and I are in the midst of yet another DIY house project. When we bought our house about 8 1/2 years ago we didn't finish the basement and also settled on some of the quality on flooring, doors, trim etc. Don't get me wrong, it worked out great but over the last few years we've been remodeling and finishing the house the way we want it.<br />
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Our latest project has been the basement. We're finishing our large entertainment area, as well as, my craft room. There's a lot of things I can't help with but UNFORTUNATELY I can help with painting. <br />
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My dear husband had me on a ladder AND painting this weekend. Two things that I strongly dislike, but if it gives him more time to do the tough stuff, then I guess I'll get after it! We'll call this task a success as I didn't fall off the ladder and neither did the paint!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV5G_QEJWkmvDp8TJY21aQWhPBk9C8GFffWJUnuM84Hx6qslqNMthDLVnlD3aejQdh6TUQJfyXCgADpgoEyh9s3iv_9dhD4yf5C2oq5zlPk53vWCnqYYhk8GpHaABPrfBay0kIey81Ww/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV5G_QEJWkmvDp8TJY21aQWhPBk9C8GFffWJUnuM84Hx6qslqNMthDLVnlD3aejQdh6TUQJfyXCgADpgoEyh9s3iv_9dhD4yf5C2oq5zlPk53vWCnqYYhk8GpHaABPrfBay0kIey81Ww/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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It can be such a challenge to balance our time on the weekend. We try to keep working on these projects, but the time with our kids is so precious too. I love how Joshua randomly took a few minutes to teach the kids how to build paper airplanes (or jets as Jayce calls them).</div>
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I also had a 9 mile run on the agenda for the weekend too (while also trying to fight a cold). I almost slept in and scratched the run, but I remembered how I posted on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharethejourneyhebrews1212" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page that I had this run on the agenda. It's amazing what a little accountability will do. I knew that due to all the work around the house on Saturday and fighting off a cold that having the energy was going to be a challenge.</div>
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I finally decided to try some 'fuel' during my run. I've read so many things about gels, honey, beans, etc. that runners/athletes use to fuel their bodies while doing a long run or intense workout. I have such an incredibly sensitive stomach that I've always been afraid to try anything. Simple math of a long run (empty stomach and burning 1,000-1,800 calories) has made me realize that I've been depleting my body too far on long runs (between 8-13 miles). A good friend of ours gave me some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clif-Shot-Bloks-Strawberry-Pack/dp/B0021AEX3W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396227414&sr=8-1&keywords=cliff+shot+bloks" target="_blank">Clif Shot Bloks</a> to try. He also has a sensitive stomach and said that these don't bother him at all. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0Bz3bPEarUA1Hi43TA4aGAgMU7WbJ-0oY3A1puninMKfUKFyts_HgPTDObq0Dwnc5HPM4SdVcbyf8HMr21snUbZNXotQ7q9dLa9bUDo6l9fhyphenhyphenx63yqwZ5fpkdAi5Qyh5pmNVUyI6P-4/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0Bz3bPEarUA1Hi43TA4aGAgMU7WbJ-0oY3A1puninMKfUKFyts_HgPTDObq0Dwnc5HPM4SdVcbyf8HMr21snUbZNXotQ7q9dLa9bUDo6l9fhyphenhyphenx63yqwZ5fpkdAi5Qyh5pmNVUyI6P-4/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The flavor I tried was strawberry. They don't taste bad at all and have the texture of gummy bears. They're also in easy 'bloks,' making them easy to grab and eat while running. I ate one before I started and another one every 35 minutes, so I only ended up using 3 out of the 6 bloks, which is 100 calories. It was hard for me to gauge if they gave me any more energy as I was already feeling a bit sluggish due to fighting off a cold. What I did notice though was I didn't have any side cramps like I normally do on long runs, and I also didn't get a headache at all today after my long run. A lot of times, I'll get a minor headache after a long run due to depleting my body so much, but the bloks combined with good water intake today, I was able to avoid the headache. I'll definitely be ordering some more!</div>
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As I shared on my blogs <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharethejourneyhebrews1212" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page this morning, my run wasn't fast, it wasn't pretty, but it did get finished! I didn't realize until later today, that I haven't run this far since my last half marathon last October. It feels good to get back to this level and I will continue to work on my pace! It was also a great way to start my Sunday before heading to church :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgWovrKf7z9ttL5sK5J_hb6L9Q9cZxuyR4Ka8HOYn1aDJtc_TNR0qcPKj9rXHgU-Qk_6Qb88EgqR5ScMuJD3vXwaeCXMxLHBK8ofHYOp7WnZ-2CF-JU9Rucw5-osufLzR-ilf1fh6Q8s/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgWovrKf7z9ttL5sK5J_hb6L9Q9cZxuyR4Ka8HOYn1aDJtc_TNR0qcPKj9rXHgU-Qk_6Qb88EgqR5ScMuJD3vXwaeCXMxLHBK8ofHYOp7WnZ-2CF-JU9Rucw5-osufLzR-ilf1fh6Q8s/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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There's nothing like competing with yourself to go a little further or a little faster than before, but please try to fight the urge and try not compare yourself to other runners/athletes. It can deplete your joy so quickly. I have learned over the last couple of years though, that the running community is a very encouraging and supportive community!!! Have a great week!</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-26280594535253965632014-03-23T14:22:00.000-07:002014-03-23T14:22:01.075-07:00Stitch Fix #6 - ReviewAbout six months ago I shared about a new experience with <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-personal-shopper-stitch-fix.html" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a>! Well... I'm officially addicted. I enjoy so many aspects of having a personal stylist. I have absolutely no fashion sense, so the concept of someone picking out clothes for me is just wonderful. I also hate going shopping, so the idea of a little box showing up at my home is absolutely stress free! I've decided to begin blogging about my fixes to just share about my experiences and to share pictures with my stylist so that my 'Fixes' just keep getting better!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEiGbvtniPl8yS-h1zDPHkZ4gPO0L_3j48a8VBH9QyfDhSYzTkdNO3XvmL-dUdH82VKx7CuuV1I77O8vvzCdvNqWGaSnuYcY5b1Ehl3Ba1gtT0CW7R6vWSh7ESkwmyufsrOTtXXvp0DE/s1600/DSC_7344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEiGbvtniPl8yS-h1zDPHkZ4gPO0L_3j48a8VBH9QyfDhSYzTkdNO3XvmL-dUdH82VKx7CuuV1I77O8vvzCdvNqWGaSnuYcY5b1Ehl3Ba1gtT0CW7R6vWSh7ESkwmyufsrOTtXXvp0DE/s1600/DSC_7344.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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I always enjoy the little note from my stylist!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2DnCWmAGCEJTm3Pv1vPujY0zb60s-O1cxSvWPHYS5qNtw2AWYUIHZLGcJ3UvO_F8jZrrrLhdjIHBuvLzN50uAfTwwFLEzGD2nVrKs4zAgJVVwgPhF5Q095E0WMjKbBFmYQukdRVc9F4/s1600/DSC_7346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2DnCWmAGCEJTm3Pv1vPujY0zb60s-O1cxSvWPHYS5qNtw2AWYUIHZLGcJ3UvO_F8jZrrrLhdjIHBuvLzN50uAfTwwFLEzGD2nVrKs4zAgJVVwgPhF5Q095E0WMjKbBFmYQukdRVc9F4/s1600/DSC_7346.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's some pictures of my most recent fix.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWozDnrqawtXdKd71JPovexmEBkEapPMI4lDwwkjWwgQtWP6ntJ6l3qSQg0nA8wjH_Ih0T5Yp9117kZABPiNboFNt5h6bGwiXjUu9IChXLSTLHXILtksaNwF3cUe0l978j4m-SQ3gO_HI/s1600/DSC_7347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWozDnrqawtXdKd71JPovexmEBkEapPMI4lDwwkjWwgQtWP6ntJ6l3qSQg0nA8wjH_Ih0T5Yp9117kZABPiNboFNt5h6bGwiXjUu9IChXLSTLHXILtksaNwF3cUe0l978j4m-SQ3gO_HI/s1600/DSC_7347.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pic 1 - Colorado Chevron Printed Raglan Blouse (Stitch Fix) with Clay Roll-Cuff Capri Jean (Stitch Fix) </div>
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Pic 2 - Elizabeth Geo Print 3/4 Sleeve Dress (Stich Fix) with Navy Cardigan (prior Stitch Fix)</div>
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Pic 3 - Staci Embroidered Detail Pintuck Blouse (Stitch Fix) with Clay Roll-Cuff Capri Jean (Stitch Fix)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODEvwObaisMnsZxYmWjJMjxcd6F2z1bkyxPrGqdbs5NGtpiEfJDc58a0UImWWltaTNXEM6Nz9AgNmhViiM7PePK6aj7DLJqf_eAiD_IOgHW97YGcMbwlWybbOsJ6b07fewQnLgfsgCRg/s1600/DSC_7361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODEvwObaisMnsZxYmWjJMjxcd6F2z1bkyxPrGqdbs5NGtpiEfJDc58a0UImWWltaTNXEM6Nz9AgNmhViiM7PePK6aj7DLJqf_eAiD_IOgHW97YGcMbwlWybbOsJ6b07fewQnLgfsgCRg/s1600/DSC_7361.jpg" height="400" width="157" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wGNeoLZA6DkB5usZbirTDLJIgUvR63HzxGYqekGLWrGWtQgp4rowjv4SVjMDxznxKHLcfRKitOjDz11JblrxeiAl_cg7raLutZze4vANoqs57DwKUdE_TIyB7JcgPorMQfwNqdI0CMc/s1600/DSC_7360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wGNeoLZA6DkB5usZbirTDLJIgUvR63HzxGYqekGLWrGWtQgp4rowjv4SVjMDxznxKHLcfRKitOjDz11JblrxeiAl_cg7raLutZze4vANoqs57DwKUdE_TIyB7JcgPorMQfwNqdI0CMc/s1600/DSC_7360.jpg" height="400" width="167" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwWRL2bjhlL2hFpffS-XnhLRUzbs5qvOmibOqpoL6CaFJo5zMSPYfk2cIy-EtbLnGJ4FQ8s0fd3hIUH2b-djNg-B3GIl7OME1xsZK3KCCi7dx-fwrPA2TT54Fd5jM9lFLE_1o13ShYZY/s1600/DSC_7350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwWRL2bjhlL2hFpffS-XnhLRUzbs5qvOmibOqpoL6CaFJo5zMSPYfk2cIy-EtbLnGJ4FQ8s0fd3hIUH2b-djNg-B3GIl7OME1xsZK3KCCi7dx-fwrPA2TT54Fd5jM9lFLE_1o13ShYZY/s1600/DSC_7350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwWRL2bjhlL2hFpffS-XnhLRUzbs5qvOmibOqpoL6CaFJo5zMSPYfk2cIy-EtbLnGJ4FQ8s0fd3hIUH2b-djNg-B3GIl7OME1xsZK3KCCi7dx-fwrPA2TT54Fd5jM9lFLE_1o13ShYZY/s1600/DSC_7350.jpg" height="640" width="243" /></a></div>
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The pictures don't do these pieces justice (I'm terrible at setting the timer and/or using the remote on my camera)... I enjoyed this fix so much! The pink top was definitely my favorite piece of this Fix! One thing I always share with someone when they're considering <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3182623" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a> is to make sure you share your thoughts on each and every Fix so that your stylist can improve. For example, when scheduling this fix, I asked for some earrings. Although, they sent me some cute colored gem stud earrings, I didn't even think to tell them that I prefer dangly earrings due to my new haircut. I still kept them, but made sure I shared this information for future fixes. It's really been fun rebuilding my closet from the comfort of my own home!</div>
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<a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3182623" target="_blank">I highly recommend Stitch Fix as a way to freshen up your closet!</a></div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-26308099245788321392014-03-22T08:04:00.000-07:002014-03-22T08:04:24.705-07:00Team Beef ~ ColoradoMy dad has worked for the Cargill beef division for over 30 years and therefore my love of beef came at a very early age. He's also been involved with <a href="http://www.beefusa.org/" target="_blank">NCBA </a>(National Cattlemen's Beef Association) and <a href="http://kla.org/" target="_blank">KLA</a> (Kansas Livestock Association) over the years. As soon as I was old enough, I began showing steers, which was a huge part of my childhood. I enjoyed working with the cattle, loved the people I met and appreciated the program! I appreciate the hard work and lessons my parents taught me through these experiences!<div>
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I instantly fell in love with the agriculture industry and everything it stands for! When I was in high school, my dad encouraged me to get a job at the feedlot he managed. Oh, the memories I had from this experience. I helped the maintenance department, which was anything but a glamorous job. This job certainly taught me about hard work, getting dirty, feedlot operations and a lot about the process of how beef ends up on our tables! </div>
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I still love being a part of the agriculture industry in my career as a financial controller for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chsyuma" target="_blank">M&M Cooperative</a>! This career gives me the opportunity to do what I enjoy in the accounting world and still be connected to the agriculture industry, which is where my passion lies!</div>
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Beef is a great source of protein both for every day health, as well as, for athletes. I'm SO excited to announce that my dear husband and I are 'officially' a part of Team Beef this running season. 'Beef Running Team members recognize the nutritional benefits of lean beef and the vital role this high-quality protein plays in their training.' I'm so grateful some dear friends shared with us last year about Team Beef! It's an incredible opportunity to bring two passions together... a love for running/fitness and promoting beef as an incredible source of protein!</div>
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I'm so excited to be on this journey with this special man!</div>
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Picture taken by our sweet daughter!</div>
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Our kiddos are excited for a new running season too! </div>
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Miss Ky is trying to pick what race she wants to do as well!</div>
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The Ballah crew is proud to be a part Colorado Team Beef!</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-k2XBBizpyFA%2FUy2hRBc8CFI%2FAAAAAAAACtw%2FEfrTvRJkGMk%2Fs1600%2FDSC_7329.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVJGDr-UAusIOCoeDRjMR679efSunoCxaWk6HCD5lzaEM1dHki3G3RLnVjhyphenhyphenELE36hlpoDMSLXbF47wVtiP-nmD1UZb_VyWzkCW6pv2Vh9y1ZVR1nDu7A-qbk572VhuDp1KmI_e8i3Hg/s1600/DSC_7329.jpg" -->Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-7718668519959229242014-03-21T17:58:00.000-07:002014-03-21T17:58:56.721-07:00A Trip to the CityMy dear husband has been working so hard to finish our basement! I'm truly blessed to have a hard working and talented man! We finally got to the point that we were ready to find the furniture to furnish our entertainment/relaxing area of our basement. Since both my husband and I work outside the home we actually don't enjoy shopping, but we were excited for this little getaway!
Last Saturday we were all up and out of the house by 5:00 AM (ON A SATURDAY).<br />
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We had an appointment in Ft. Collins at 8:30 AM with <a href="http://www.blacksglass.com/" target="_blank">Black's Glass</a> to pick up the custom mirror for the fitness room in our basement. If anyone is ever looking for a custom mirror in Northeast Colorado or the Front Range, I 'highly' recommend <a href="http://www.blacksglass.com/" target="_blank">Black's Glass</a>! They are a small company, but absolutely wonderful to deal with. They were very timely in responding to our emails and very reasonably priced. They even agreed to meet us on Saturday to pick up the mirror even though they're typically not open on the weekends. The gentlemen that met us was also extremely helpful in making sure we had the mirror safely loaded and tied down in the trailer to minimize the risk of it breaking. It was just great to see a company focus so much on customer service! Thanks to one of my readers who recommended them! We're not quite ready to install it as we're finishing up the floor and trim first, but I will be certain to share a picture of my new home gym when we get it all finished!
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One other stop I so desperately wanted to make was at <a href="http://oldtowngoldworks.com/" target="_blank">Goldworks</a>! About a 1 1/2 years ago I had to have my wedding ring resized after losing some weight and let's just say there was a slight malfunction in the process. My very sweet husband decided to have a new ring designed, which integrated the diamonds from my original wedding ring. Again, the customer service we received from Tom & Sandy with <a href="http://oldtowngoldworks.com/" target="_blank">Goldworks</a> was amazing! Through the process of having my new custom ring designed and made, Josh was able to visit Tom Linnenberger, see the equipment he uses and pick out the new diamonds, but it never worked out for me to meet him. I was so excited to meet them on Saturday, get my ring cleaned and have them resize another ring for me.<br />
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The kiddos were then super hungry so we asked Tom & Sandy where they recommended us to have lunch. They recommended <a href="http://www.austinsamericangrill.com/index.php" target="_blank">Austin's Grill</a>. The was by far the best salad I've ever enjoyed! It had salmon, a light dressing, perfectly ripe avocado, and other goodies! Joshua enjoyed the chicken pot pie and the kids had some pretty typical kid favorites... macaroni, corn dog and of course ice cream!
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Even the presentation of the salad was delightful!</div>
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I'm not sure what his deal was, but his pouty face makes me giggle!</div>
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Time to fight over the ice cream!</div>
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Love this sweet girl... and yes I had ONE bite of her ice cream!</div>
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It was finally time to go furniture shopping and gather some additional construction supplies!<br />
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We've enjoyed working on these house projects as a family!</div>
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Jayce had to get comfortable to help us decide on furniture! </div>
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Kylee & Jayce discovered an Etch-A-Scetch at one of the furniture stores. </div>
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We were sad when we realized they had never played on one before!</div>
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Here's the best way to test furniture... my sweet boy taking a nap!</div>
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It was an incredibly long day but I was so pleased with the customer service we experienced at each and every stop!<br />
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We know word of mouth is the best advertising, so I just wanted to share our wonderful experiences with these businesses!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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Krystal
Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-76984392157608906512014-03-02T20:10:00.000-08:002014-03-03T08:56:47.958-08:00A Day in My Kitchen!Clare with <a href="http://peak313.com/" target="_blank">Peak313</a> just recently wrote a blog post that really touched my heart called <a href="http://peak313.com/featured/5-misconceptions-about-fit-healthy-people/" target="_blank">5 Misconceptions about Healthy & Fit People</a>. I can relate to these misconceptions so much and there have been a few times where these misconceptions almost prevented me from continuing to blog about my journey. My health and fitness journey is just like everyone else's and I am a constant work in progress. I have struggles, enjoy a sweet treat once in a while and some days wander if it's all worth it. My purpose for blogging about my journey is to share how God has carried me through every struggle, success and/or just encourage someone else on their own journey.<br />
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My precious family has been sick on and off for several weeks, which has resulted in inconsistent eating, fewer miles on the treadmill, and laundry that just won't end! These are just aspects of life where we must grant ourselves the same grace that God gives us. Although it's been a priority for us all to love and care for each other, I've greatly missed my time in my kitchen (and so has my little man). I absolutely love stocking up on healthy snacks to put in the freezer, preparing meals for the week and just trying a new recipe.<br />
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Both of my kids enjoy being in the kitchen with me, but my youngest tends to come 'running' when I'm baking on a Saturday morning. As I've shared before <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/09/granola-energy-balls.html" target="_blank">'Granola Energy Balls'</a> are a staple and favorite in our house. Since Jayce wanted to help me make them this weekend, I let him pick the 'sweet' to go in them. He picked mini M&M's to go in them. Was it the healthiest choice? Of course not, but it is an option that they enjoy and one that Mommy can be okay with.<br />
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I love this time with my little man!</div>
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Ready to go in the freezer and be enjoyed as a snack or dessert!</div>
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I also need to share a little funny and epic fail from my kitchen this weekend. For those who have frequent restaurants with me, you know that I constantly ask about sweet potatoes and avocados. These are two of my absolute favorite foods! I've seen several recipes on Facebook, blogs and Pinterest that are brownies made with sweet potatoes, avocados, applesauce, etc. I finally decided to make some. My family thought I was absolutely crazy for making brownies out of sweet potatoes and avocados, but that certainly didn't stop me from trying. And not only did I make a single batch to try, I decided a double batch would be worth the effort. </div>
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Here's a picture of the end result.</div>
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The picture is definitely deceiving! My family were great sports and actually tried them, but along with them, I had to admit that they were bitter, the texture was no where close to the consistency of a traditional brownie, and they were just terrible (with the exception of the frosting, which was amazing). Even though I didn't care for them either, I still found myself sensitive to the honesty given by the 7 and 4 year old. They naturally went on and on about how terrible the brownies were, which of course made me upset. I ended up throwing them all out. After Jayce noticed how upset I was, he said 'Mommy, I think you need to go take a nap.' We all laughed and appreciated his concern and recommendation. I'm not sure I'll get my family to try this combination any time in the near future again, but putting avocados in brownies is definitely something we'll be giggling about for quite some time!</div>
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The lesson on this day in my kitchen... there are times you're going to fail. When that happens, just throw it in the trash and go take a nap!</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-78356053970717482182014-02-23T19:19:00.001-08:002014-02-23T19:19:58.107-08:00One of My Favorite Mommy Moments!When Joshua and I were first married (almost 13 years ago) one of THE hardest things for me to do was learn how to cut his hair. His dear mother had always cut his hair so it was my turn to learn how (and do it gracefully). The first time I cut his hair, I was literally in tears. And I took so long that Joshua finally grabbed the clippers and gave himself a haircut, which made me cry even more. This is definitely not one of my favorite tasks, in fact there are times where I put it off until looking at his hair drives me crazy. <br />
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After having our little man, I always joked that some day they could cut each other's hair so that I could have a break for a few years. Well my friends... we are on our way!!!! What I wasn't prepared for this evening was what a sweet moment this was between my two men.<br />
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Jayce was trying to be so careful with Daddy. </div>
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Yes, I let my four year old run the clippers (with Mommy's help)!</div>
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Daddy was a little concerned at first, but was incredibly patient!</div>
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It really is the simple everyday memories that can mean the most!</div>
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Almost Done!</div>
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My two very handsome men with fresh haircuts! Thanks for your help, Jayce!</div>
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Jayce had so much fun helping Mommy cut Daddy's hair. I just loved watching these two. Sometimes life can get so busy that we forget to capture these special moments. I'm so very grateful that we were able to slow down for just a bit this evening for a haircut!</div>
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Love you boys,</div>
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Mommy</div>
<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-2924898933465269342014-01-20T18:32:00.001-08:002014-01-20T18:32:52.537-08:00From Bitterness to Gratefulness!I've always heard how very different each child is, but never 'really' understood it until we had our little boy. Oh, how I love this little boy. He's extremely silly (trying at times), loves an audience (even when it's not appropriate) and is just down right funny!<br />
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Although, I absolutely love this little man and everything about his sweet personality, this post is a thank you on behalf of a little girls' Mama.<br />
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Just like with any child, some days can be hard and sometimes there are people who may unintentionally hurt our kids or us as parents, but if I've learned anything over the last couple of weeks, it's that life is short and forgiveness is crucial! I just recently spent some time reflecting on all the different ways others' have blessed us through loving on our kids. Miss Kylee is what most people would call 'shy.' I prefer to refer to her personality as reserved and genuine. Believe me, I know how frustrating it can be to speak to a reserved child and not get a response. It's also been a challenge for us to teach her that it is okay to be reserved, but not okay to be impolite. With that in mind though, I absolutely love seeing relationships form with Miss Kylee as she gets comfortable with someone and develops a very 'genuine' relationship. I'm also so blessed to see the joy in other's when, after they've tried for so long, this little girl finally opens up to them or simply gives them a hug.<br />
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Here's a side of Miss Kylee that not everyone gets to see. She has such a fun loving heart (thanks to the dear friend who made Kylee this hat to support a friend with breast cancer).<br />
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Another special side of Kylee is her love of music. We pray that she continues to use this gift for God's glory and we greatly appreciate all who have encouraged her on this journey!<br />
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I love this little girl with all my heart and have a little thank you to some very special people...<br />
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<ul>
<li>Thank you to our dear friend who has watched this sweet girl from the time she was just six weeks old. You have helped shape and love on her like one of your own. </li>
<li>Thank you to the elderly man at church, who goes out of his way to say hi to her each and every Sunday, even when she just smiles back.</li>
<li>Thank you to the sweet man at church who wouldn't let Kylee leave church until she gave him a hug after he's worked so hard to develop a friendship with her.</li>
<li>Thank you to the sweet friends who brought Kylee flowers for her first piano performance at church, which was such a big day for her. You touched this girls heart more than you could imagine.</li>
<li>Thank you to the dear friend who spends time out of her week to teach Miss Kylee how to play the piano (and to the special guy who picks her up after school each week to take her). She truly lights up every time she plays and absolutely loves this special time with you!</li>
<li>Thank you to all of the teachers and staff at her school and church, who love on her.</li>
<li>Thank you to our sweet photographer who ever so kindly and gently is able to capture the beauty and personality of Kylee.</li>
<li>Thank you to the dear friend who went out of her way to give this sweet girl a piggy back ride through a derby track just to show this girl how much you love her. She just recently requested that photo be hung in her bedroom and thinks so much of you!</li>
<li>Thank you to this girls sweet aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents who love her for the special girl she is!</li>
<li>Thank you God for loaning this special girl to us! We pray that You continue to give us the wisdom and encouragement daily to help her grow to love and trust You!</li>
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This list could go on and on and on to all the countless people who have showed their love to this sweet girl with countless acts of kindness. Each and every one of you has not only made a lasting impression with this girl, but you've touched her Mama too! May God bless each and every one of you. May God continue to teach me to love my children just as they are and just as He designed them! It is inevitable that at some point someone will hurt our children (typically unintentionally), when (not if) that happens I challenge you to quickly forgive and reflect on the many people and times that someone has loved on your child. It will quickly change your heart from bitterness to gratefulness!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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Kylee's MamaKrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-87978842972300020322014-01-03T18:39:00.000-08:002014-01-03T18:39:24.327-08:00Yep, I FAILEDAs some of you remember, I set some <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/07/new-years-in-july.html" target="_blank">goals in July</a> that were a bit lofty. As much as I hate to report this, I FAILED all three goals. Although it is a struggle to admit my failures, I believe in being transparent in my journey and struggles.<br />
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1. One goal I had was to run 1,000 miles in 2013. I FAILED! I ran 886 miles and although I came up short on my goal, I'm still celebrating a great accomplishment and am planning on striving for 1,000 miles in 2014!<br />
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2. A second goal was to work up to a 7 minute plank. I FAILED! I worked up to a 5 minute plank and quite frankly got bored with the challenge!<br />
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3. The third goal I set was to integrate TurboFire into my workout routine. I FAILED! After integrating these workouts into my routine for a couple weeks, I was reminded of how much I dislike DVD workouts and went to some different strength training instead.<br />
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Although I was discouraged with these failures I have taken the time to celebrate a few successes in 2013:<br />
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1.<a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/06/first-family-race-recap.html" target="_blank"> Running a race as a family</a><br />
2. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1099742147"></span>Running a race with my dear husband just a few weeks after his burning accident. <span id="goog_1099742148"></span></a><br />
3. <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/07/race-dayslacker-half-marathon.html" target="_blank">Completing my first half marathon</a>.<br />
4. And most importantly God's amazing grace and strength through every challenge I endured emotionally, spiritually and physically!<br />
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As I prepare my goals for 2014 I'm reminded that goals are great to help us stay focused, but God uses the journey, the struggles, the small victories, and even our failures to bring Him glory! <br />
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Run with perseverance my dear friends!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
<br />
Krystal<br />
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-39062093323433518942013-12-15T06:30:00.000-08:002013-12-15T06:30:38.461-08:00How to Get StartedWith a new year fast approaching, we all get excited about a fresh start and tend to focus on our health a little bit more. I am by no means an expert nor do I have all of the answers, but am honored that a sweet friend came to me for some help on how to get started with a running plan and lifestyle change. There are so many resources out there that it can definitely be overwhelming. Here are the top 10 tips on how to get started. Again these are just tips that helped me get started and have helped me maintain this new lifestyle for the last 18 months.<br />
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<b>1. Set a 'reasonable' and 'measurable' goal, as well as a non-food reward! </b><br />
<b> </b> ~ Sign up for a race<br />
~ A weight loss goal. If weight loss is a goal make sure that you not only record your weight, but also your measurements (i.e. chest, hips, waist, hips, thigh, calf, neck). Through this journey there may be periods of time where your weight may stabilize (or even slightly increase), that's why it's good to have your measurements too. Also, please make sure that you don't weigh yourself more than once a week. It is so easy to allow this area of your life to become an idol and we can easily get obsessed with this number. <br />
~ An increase in distance or speed by a specific date<br />
~ Make sure that your goals are high enough that you must develop consistency in your lifestyle to achieve, but not too high that you set yourself up for failure.<br />
~ Once you reach your goal, quickly establish a new one so that you stay motivated and focused.<br />
~ Establish a reward for yourself when you achieve your goal. This could be a new outfit, new gear, a trip to the spa, a quiet day to yourself etc.<br />
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<b>2. Establish Accountability! </b><br />
~ Find a friend working on the same goal. Workout together or find a time where you can touch base to check on each other.<br />
~ Sign up on <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/">www.dailymile.com</a>. This is a great site to record your workouts, hold yourself accountable and encourage others on their journey. If you get signed up on there, please <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/people/KrystalB13#ref=tophd" target="_blank">let me know</a> and we can help encourage each other!<br />
~ Put your workouts on your calendar. This can be done an app, on the calendar on your phone or find a weekly planner. I just recently ordered a life planner from <a href="https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/krystalballah0611" target="_blank">Erin Condren</a> and will be putting my workouts, meal plans and goals in it.<br />
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<b>3. Establish Workout Plan! </b><br />
<b> </b>~ The <a href="http://c25kfree.com/" target="_blank">Couch to 5k Program</a> is a great app for beginner runners. <b> </b><br />
<b> </b>~ Cross Training and Strength Training are just as important as running. They help build strength, prevent injuries and help prevent boredom. This could include biking, walking, weight lifting, push ups, sit ups, jump rope, circuit training, etc. Make this fun! I currently spend 3 days a week running and 3 days cross/strength training.<br />
~ Establish Consistency - If possible workout at the same time every day while remaining flexible when 'life' happens.<br />
~ Establish 1 or 2 rest days (days where you don't workout at all) a week to allow our body to recover. These days are just as important as the days you workout!<br />
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<b>4. Meal Plan with the 80/20 Rule!</b><br />
~ Take baby steps in adjusting your eating habits. I plan on 80% of my meals being healthy.<br />
<b> </b>~ There are a lot of great resources out there to help you find some great healthy recipes. Here's a few of my favorites.<br />
<b> </b>* <a href="http://www.dashingdish.com/" target="_blank">Dashing Dish</a> is a great resource. Katie has a ton of great recipes where she's created healthy alternatives to the foods and dishes we love!<br />
<b> </b>* <a href="http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/" target="_blank">Clean Eating</a> magazine is a great resource too.<b> </b><br />
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<b>5. Gear - Take care of your feet!</b><br />
~ Shoes - Good shoes are one of the most important things you'll need for this journey. There are a lot of different brands out there. <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/" target="_blank">Brooks</a> have definitely been my favorite.<br />
~ Mileage - It's also important to keep track of the miles you put on a pair of shoes. It's recommended that you don't put more than 400-500 miles on a pair of shoes.<br />
~ Socks - I also find a good pair of running socks to be equally important. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ADIZZJU/ref=s9_simh_gw_p200_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1GEMP8JG7C3A0P72VVSV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846" target="_blank">Pearl Izumi</a> socks are my absolute favorite running/workout socks. They are fairly expensive for a pair of socks, but worth every penny.<br />
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<b>6. Get your family involved.</b><br />
~ Go for a walk together<br />
~ Workout together<br />
~ Plan your meals together<br />
~ Run a race together<br />
~ Let your kids watch you workout (there's nothing like my four year old asking me how my run went).<br />
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<b>7. Track your progress.</b><br />
~ Write down your progress in a journal<br />
~ Share your success and failures with those closest to you for encouragement, prayer, and support.<br />
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<b>8. Don't let a busy schedule, weather or traveling cause you to get off track.</b><br />
~ Most hotels have a great fitness area. I have found utilizing them makes travel much more bearable.<br />
~ Explore the great outdoors when on vacation.<br />
~ Stay flexible in your schedule. If there's a day where you can't get a run in, then change it up where you do various circuits where all you need is your body (i.e. push ups, sit ups, squats, jump rope, planks, etc.)<br />
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<b>9. DRINK WATER.</b><br />
~ Quite simply drink water and drink a lot of it.<br />
~ I would strongly encourage you to cut out ALL soda through this journey (including diet).<br />
~ Most resources recommend that you drink a minimum of half your body weight in ounces on a daily basis. For example a person who weighs 140 pounds should drink at least 70 ounces of water each day.<br />
~ If you get bored with water, try adding some fruit to it (oranges, lemons and strawberries are my favorite). I take a little time on Sunday afternoons to slice fruit to go in my water for the week.<br />
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<b>10. Enjoy the journey and take it one day at a time!</b><br />
~ Find a bible verse or quote that you can memorize, post and just keep you motivated and encouraged.<br />
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As most of you know my favorite bible verse for my health, fitness and spiritual journey is Hebrews 12:1-2.<br />
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The key to my success has been planning! Sit down think about these tips and develop a system that will work for you and your family! If there's anything else I can do to help you get started, feel free to contact me! I truly enjoy sharing my journey :)</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-29624215709845792952013-11-16T14:37:00.000-08:002014-03-08T09:36:15.606-08:00Pumpkin Protein MuffinsAs I recently shared, I'm beginning the <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-new-plan.html" target="_blank">Holiday Shred by N Her Shoes</a> on Monday. I've enjoyed getting organized and ready for this over the last couple of days. I've also spent today grocery shopping and prepping my meals. I've previewed the workouts for the week, looked over the meals and enjoyed reading all of the introductions of everyone in my group.<br />
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One of the recipes was for some Pumpkin Muffins, which called for a pumpkin muffin mix from places like Whole Foods, Trader Jo's, etc. As I've shared before, we live in rural America and sometimes these items are difficult to find. I was so excited about the Pumpkin Muffins, that I went to the internet and began searching for healthy pumpkin muffin recipes and was so excited when I came across the recipe below. These are so good! I'll definitely be making them again. And moms, the kids really like them too! This recipe was adapted from <a href="http://www.dashingdish.com/">www.dashingdish.com</a>.<br />
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<b>Pumpkin Protein Muffins</b><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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1 Cup Canned Pumpkin<br />
1/2 Cup Applesauce (usweetened)<br />
1/2 Cup Low-fat Vanilla Greek Yogurt<br />
3 Egg Whites<br />
1 3/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oats<br />
1/4 Cup Vanilla Protein Powder<br />
12 Packets of Stevia<br />
1 tsp Baking Soda<br />
2 tsp Baking Powder<br />
1/4 tsp Salt<br />
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice<br />
1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (cold substitute raisins or nuts)<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.<br />
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2. In a food processor, mix all the ingredients together. Blend until oats are ground and mixture is smooth.<br />
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3. Divide mixture among muffins tins, and place into pre-heated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops are lightly golden brown. <br />
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4. Cool muffins before removing from pan. <br />
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I'm really excited about this journey!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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Krystal<br />
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-75405145063664639302013-11-10T14:45:00.001-08:002013-11-10T14:45:56.284-08:00A New PlanAfter running a couple half marathons, I've been on the search for a new and fresh workout and meal plan in an effort to not get burned out and/or prevent getting bored. I also don't want to get distracted from this journey during the Holiday season. I've followed Bobbi with <a href="http://nhershoes.com/" target="_blank">N Her Shoes</a> for quite some time. There's so many areas of life that I can relate to with Bobbi and I've enjoyed getting to know her through her blog. She's a wife, mom, runner, enjoys cross training and is also a christian. I've seen her share multiple times about her 'Shred' programs and decided to check it out.<div>
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With her <a href="http://www.bobbimccormick.com/?p=31658" target="_blank">2013 Holiday Shred Program</a> she provides a running training plan, cross training workouts, meal plans, shopping list and support! I'm so excited to try something new while still maintaining the effort up to this point.</div>
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I love how God can use technology to bring inspirational, positive and Christ centered individuals into our life. I'm so excited to have a plan this holiday season so that I can take care of my health journey, while focusing on more important areas of my life! </div>
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Blessings to you this Thanksgiving and Christmas season,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-70478896628836932252013-10-26T09:37:00.000-07:002013-10-26T09:37:31.771-07:00Stress Free Family Photo Planning!As you have probably noticed a lot of my recent posts have been around finding contentment and reducing stress while living in rural America. With the exception of about 4 months, I have lived my entire life in Rural America and I wouldn't change it for anything. I lived in the panhandle of Texas until I was 10, in western Kansas from ages 10 to 19, and then I've been in Eastern Colorado for 12 years now. Every where I've lived there's never been a Wal-Mart or clothing shop down the road and that is OK! <br />
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My husband and I both work outside the home so weekend trips to stock up on groceries, or go clothes shopping is just not a great use of our time and quite frankly we don't really enjoy it either. If we leave town it's usually to go see family, go run a race or do something fun, or just enjoy some time together. And all of the other times we would rather just enjoy some quiet family time at home! <br />
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Here's a list of reasons we do so much of our shopping online:<br />
1. Save on time<br />
2. Save on fuel expense<br />
3. Save on eating out while shopping<br />
4. Save on impulse buys<br />
5. Save on Sales Tax (we don't have a local sales tax where our house is located so IF we do have to pay sales tax, it's only state sales tax, which is 2.9% as compared to 7.4% in say Brighton)<br />
6. Convienience of having our purchases delivered to our door, plus the ability to shop a variety of stores all at once.<br />
7. More and more vendors are offering free shipping<br />
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And the list can go on...<br />
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I shared a facebook post sharing about how we buy a lot of our household and grocery items through <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">www.walmart.com</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">www.amazon.com</a>. We have arranged an area in our storage room to store some products in bulk and it makes daily living so much easier!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicorT_KDXoe0TqV-ipTjO0nKIYP3wsoHftoGhc-W0b4gh7rFImTEq5fCesrcbpiJ1NnwdXb0Fua56rErUxNBmE_xc8y4vCMDDXfuvxpolMYI9aNSjSrz2wjJJu7KSOFKczAAWjrYUP7ko/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-09-22+at+8.24.07+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicorT_KDXoe0TqV-ipTjO0nKIYP3wsoHftoGhc-W0b4gh7rFImTEq5fCesrcbpiJ1NnwdXb0Fua56rErUxNBmE_xc8y4vCMDDXfuvxpolMYI9aNSjSrz2wjJJu7KSOFKczAAWjrYUP7ko/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-09-22+at+8.24.07+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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This leads me to my newfound appreciation for <a href="http://stitchfix.com/sign_up?referrer_id=3182623" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a>! <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-personal-shopper-stitch-fix.html" target="_blank">I shared last month about my first 'fix' and how it all works.</a> I was so happy the first time, that I signed up for another fix. Having family pictures taken every fall is something that is so near and dear to my heart, which unfortunately results in stressful planning for outfits. I remember last year I was in tears and stressing about what everyone was going to wear the very night before our pictures. I remember having clothes for everyone thrown all over my bed, trying to mix and match everyone's clothes. I did finally get something put together AND we have an incredibly talented photographer, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cherished-SnapShots-Photography/360035286724" target="_blank">Cherished Snapshots</a>, that helped cover my defeat in planning!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLLcR8Tr8Zh7o8g9E1C3CPwy3tw0M7nD3rbRj8KUO3ky8xgyvcuuv9GaFfo4K5ztlHX0EWd6dwFQJTDqJYhcb8pi_leHSelUmnuKBKp8wulZuqgsl3HXM2qLmnF5HGMjgvzrCNklAmBs/s1600/PA062282e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLLcR8Tr8Zh7o8g9E1C3CPwy3tw0M7nD3rbRj8KUO3ky8xgyvcuuv9GaFfo4K5ztlHX0EWd6dwFQJTDqJYhcb8pi_leHSelUmnuKBKp8wulZuqgsl3HXM2qLmnF5HGMjgvzrCNklAmBs/s400/PA062282e.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I typically pic a couple colors to work with when planning photos (but am by no means an expert). We've done red & black, teal & purple, teal & denim, etc. This year I wanted to do brown and olive/army green. I love picking out clothes for my kids and my husband, but have always gotten stressed over picking out my own clothes. I went out on a huge limb this year and let <a href="http://stitchfix.com/sign_up?referrer_id=3182623" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a> help me out this time. When scheduling my second fix, I let them know I was planning family photos and what colors we were doing. I also knew that if it didn't go well with Stitch Fix, I wasn't going to have a whole lot of time to come up with Plan B. After losing 30 pounds, I'm still rebuilding my closet over time, so I don't have a whole lot of green items that would work for pictures.<br />
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I could not have been more thrilled with what they selected for me. They chose this olive green jacket (which also has a drawstring on the inside) on the top left in the picture below, which I plan on pairing with a brown/cream shirt, some skinny jeans and boots. I didn't even give the Stitch Fix shopper a picture of what everyone else is wearing, and I think she nailed it!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIdf58u7ncVQiD1qJv6Ep8AvKzU_jwK1XZcMXDwhWcX2dUtK8niaFtqNMUPBV_2A5MNZWCgWhPSIglUNquxUpfH3xCOBfM2_MSGHvxD7dqeU_5xoyGQ89srydk4v3RwavQCt75bmleZg/s1600/DSC_6570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIdf58u7ncVQiD1qJv6Ep8AvKzU_jwK1XZcMXDwhWcX2dUtK8niaFtqNMUPBV_2A5MNZWCgWhPSIglUNquxUpfH3xCOBfM2_MSGHvxD7dqeU_5xoyGQ89srydk4v3RwavQCt75bmleZg/s640/DSC_6570.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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They also gave me a couple other items as a back up in case I didn't like the jacket. They included this adorable brown cardigan and infinity scarf, which I could have put together completely different outfits together as well (and yes, I kept these items as well). Sorry for not including pictures of me trying them on, just didn't have the energy to set up the tripod and all that fun stuff! <br />
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I still need to add a couple accessories and finish planning the rest of the details for everyones outfits, but the major decisions are done and ready and I couldn't be more excited for family pictures in a couple weeks.<br />
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A huge sigh of relief for this mom! Also, don't forget that <a href="http://stitchfix.com/sign_up?referrer_id=3182623" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a> has a great referral program too. For every friend that uses your referral code and receives their first 'fix,' you receive a $25 credit towards your next fix. A great way to share your experience with a friend and make your next fix a little easier on your budget! <br />
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Blessings,<br />
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Krystal<br />
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-62479827937151416022013-10-21T20:01:00.001-07:002013-10-21T20:01:20.570-07:00A Little Spot of Joy!My family and I have been so busy the last several months, that I haven't even had a chance to get some of my fall decorations out. This evening I needed just a little time to put together a little corner of joy in our dining room. Our dining room is definitely one of my favorite rooms in our home. My mom always made it a priority for us to sit down and have a meal together each and every evening and for that I am grateful. We also make that a priority in our home and it's such a special time to reconnect from the day. I will admit there are still evening meals where the kids are flopping in and out of their chairs and evenings where we might be terrified if we counted how many times we have to ask our kids to 'eat their supper,' but it's worth every minute!<br />
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My dear husband gave me such a hard time for purchasing a new house plant today as I haven't had the greatest history with keeping them alive, but I'm determined to prove him wrong! So here goes... Last weekend the kids and I went to Kansas to visit my Mom & Dad and while we were there, my Mom, Kylee and I went to Salina to surprise my sister in law on the opening day of her store <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cjscreativemarketplace" target="_blank">CJ's Creative Marketplace</a>. While we were there, I found this cute 'FALL' banner. It was such a joy to see the smile on her face on this special day! If you're in the Salina, KS area, I highly encourage you to check out her store!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxY29ObfdnWQPwWex0bAsYLFclmdRcQbT8hwBkA__UyJjAvhm3ez6Lg_P9nUCoFO-qTRNT3Q6b6E2lNUp5fu6i8-3DxehsPb_PweBDNkiLH1C4w4jfh26dp3P3xSO2nrHQbGoVuuPm51E/s1600/DSC_6534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxY29ObfdnWQPwWex0bAsYLFclmdRcQbT8hwBkA__UyJjAvhm3ez6Lg_P9nUCoFO-qTRNT3Q6b6E2lNUp5fu6i8-3DxehsPb_PweBDNkiLH1C4w4jfh26dp3P3xSO2nrHQbGoVuuPm51E/s640/DSC_6534.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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This table has some other very special pieces placed on it. My mother gave me the bread basket in the picture below, the milk glass was my great grandmother's and this camera was my great grandfather's first camera. My grandparents told me a couple years ago that they had this old camera. They knew how much I loved pictures and cameras, so when we were there this summer we looked and looked in their basement to find it and the pure joy I had when we found it was absolutely priceless!</div>
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What may just seem like a table is a very special corner of joy for me, full of love, memories and the encouragement to create new memories! Thanks for letting me share just a little corner of joy from my home. May you also enjoy a little corner of joy in your home!</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-58564346046296496662013-10-20T21:10:00.000-07:002013-10-20T21:10:45.721-07:00Another Half Marathon!Back in June I ran the <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/07/race-dayslacker-half-marathon.html" target="_blank">Slackers Half Marathon</a> race, which was such an incredible experience. I also learned so much from that race. One of the <a href="http://sharethejourneyhebrews1212.blogspot.com/2013/06/fitness-became-my-idol.html" target="_blank">difficult lessons</a> I learned was that I must be careful when choosing a race to run. I have to be cautious for both my spiritual and physical health. As I've wrote about in the past, I got a migraine two days before my first half marathon race due to stressing over the race and allowing my fitness to become an idol. What was a way to relieve stress became my stress. <br />
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Like many runners, I am much more committed and dedicated on a daily and weekly basis if I have a goal to works towards, which is one of the many reasons that races are so valuable. A dear friend and fellow running pal came across <a href="http://usroadrunning.com/index.php" target="_blank">US Road Running</a>, which is a site dedicated to virtual races. The way that it works, is you register for a race (which they have all sorts of different themed, monthly, team races, etc.) online. The fee is really reasonable, simply to cover the administrative costs and costs of the medals. With some of the races they mail you your medal right away and you can have it ready for race day and others you log back in after your race, record your time and then they mail you your medal with your name and time on the back of the medal. You can then run your race at any location (indoors or outdoors) at any time (within the guidelines of the chosen race).<br />
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I absolutely loved this idea for so many reasons. Living in rural America it can be a challenge to travel to the larger races, therefore a virtual race is less expensive, easier on my family and a lot less stressful for this runner and yet, still gave me a great goal to work towards. A group of us then picked a date, picked our distances, set our goals and got registered! I registered for the <a href="http://usroadrunning.com/index.php?club_id=1579" target="_blank">Movie Madness Half Marathon</a>, which is a virtual half marathon that you can complete anytime during 2013. I was so excited to receive my medal in the mail and then I sat it on the shelf to wait for 'race day', which I happen to receive the same day as a new pair of running shoes. Oh happy day!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9eK5NOO_p9D-uCEpz-ma6PUHtrRFH8rimgyIEsWJ-H00Dz15LP_MDINvrs1Rhcyl_Jz_Tfpbf7MgAx2wZX1_dDK3T3D-pTJ29NgFTDLP1lQqOftKlFKQAwxC-pxkmJOchq3SkDR25dU/s1600/DSC_5325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9eK5NOO_p9D-uCEpz-ma6PUHtrRFH8rimgyIEsWJ-H00Dz15LP_MDINvrs1Rhcyl_Jz_Tfpbf7MgAx2wZX1_dDK3T3D-pTJ29NgFTDLP1lQqOftKlFKQAwxC-pxkmJOchq3SkDR25dU/s400/DSC_5325.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I didn't feel near the anxiety in the days leading up to the race that I did for my last half marathon. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I had already proved to myself that I could actually run the distance, the fact that I was able to sleep in my own bed the night before or the fact that I had an amazing group to run with and support each other. God truly has blessed me with an incredible group of supportive and encouraging people along this journey and the fact that we never get tired of talking about 'running' with each other is a bonus. <br />
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Race day finally arrived! I usually run really early in the morning, so waiting to run at 8:00 am was a bit of a challenge, but it was just too cold for us to start any easier! We went a little early so that the kids and I could create a finish line.<br />
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Then it was time for a quick picture before we got started!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3yUB1yE-xS9N3TdR29MkxiN0UnjAzd4Vj-HGcu-B1Js6j5VrMrTw0Z_5yhnb25CSBofgAns0-UEkZmrGXZuV2bv24YJwKjvjUDSaFBfnrIMDBOT56vA5F07AoZjsNOPiubZkjpmncNI/s1600/DSC_6485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3yUB1yE-xS9N3TdR29MkxiN0UnjAzd4Vj-HGcu-B1Js6j5VrMrTw0Z_5yhnb25CSBofgAns0-UEkZmrGXZuV2bv24YJwKjvjUDSaFBfnrIMDBOT56vA5F07AoZjsNOPiubZkjpmncNI/s400/DSC_6485.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We had such a sweet supporter who set up a water station for us and the greatest little guy rooting for us as we went by! And just look at the fall colors we enjoyed on this run!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKkYAb9wAzWegpfX-4ipf3cDj6yXzwFuFFpCM6Hhp6wZZZcs3Cuc4CZBKrnY_xWIPxwsSIuqht82MfMrCny4XDbqEfuKbNo1e2QJEyRQS2yYN5ed3nDuUtzvVXAVt3pQ6jt7suQRfKR4/s1600/DSC_6490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKkYAb9wAzWegpfX-4ipf3cDj6yXzwFuFFpCM6Hhp6wZZZcs3Cuc4CZBKrnY_xWIPxwsSIuqht82MfMrCny4XDbqEfuKbNo1e2QJEyRQS2yYN5ed3nDuUtzvVXAVt3pQ6jt7suQRfKR4/s400/DSC_6490.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My very sweet husband traveled around the various locations taking pictures, while also being there to love and support me on this race. He blessed me so much by making me feel like this race was just as important as a race that had 10,000 people running! I just love him so much!</div>
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I made a 4 mile loop around our small town several times and then finished the last 1.1 miles on some side streets! At mile 8 my dear husband had a water bottle ready for me. He also drove around to various spots so that him and the kids could encourage me and make sure I was doing okay.</div>
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Because of this being a virtual race, my precious girl was able to join me for part of my half marathon. </div>
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Her original plan was to run the last mile with me, but after about 1/2 a mile her little tummy was hurting, so she headed back towards Daddy and celebrated coming across the finish line as well, while I finished out the final portion of my run!</div>
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I made it and my little dude had my medal at the finish line. There's nothing sweeter than the loving support of my dear family at a finish line, even if it's a finish line that only a few have crossed and one we drew out with sidewalk chalk. I'll take it!!!</div>
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I finished this half marathon in 2:20:21 (average pace of 10:42), which was about 7 minutes faster than my first half marathon race. My goal was to keep my average pace under 11:00 minute miles, so I was excited! </div>
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I love this little guy, he cheered for mommy and was the first one to say 'good job mommy' after crossing the finish line. Those words my friends, make every single strike to the pavement worth it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zV1z0mLwfxejWquxKAfcswQkJsUNI6XxK_gbuacNZTz9SP5Xl998I9JzEF9Dr1_P9ytUe6jbH_iKHMszQREidfZCOOi2wC_OKUPosg9JwdG6NLA6KRXuqSxlnMZKnTyCCGqq1w38B1c/s1600/DSC_6525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zV1z0mLwfxejWquxKAfcswQkJsUNI6XxK_gbuacNZTz9SP5Xl998I9JzEF9Dr1_P9ytUe6jbH_iKHMszQREidfZCOOi2wC_OKUPosg9JwdG6NLA6KRXuqSxlnMZKnTyCCGqq1w38B1c/s400/DSC_6525.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It brought me to tears when this sweet girl came running up to me to join me for part of my race. She's definitely starting to enjoy this support. Although I would love for her to enjoy running the same as I have come to do, my real hope is that she see's how running has changed her mommy's health, life and the way God has used it to draw me closer to Him!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV_RuAdTM-bQ5GU0HW0fdXGene79rLPHhL_znk8V33T7UjfbOLROaH2jh4f-UE7SBBmLenoGNRTf4Pu5gDQtXS93k346TgS75MMtNSdNo_f_SF583K4s3b-RoBVDEvDVO9AKCar5_G4k/s1600/DSC_6529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV_RuAdTM-bQ5GU0HW0fdXGene79rLPHhL_znk8V33T7UjfbOLROaH2jh4f-UE7SBBmLenoGNRTf4Pu5gDQtXS93k346TgS75MMtNSdNo_f_SF583K4s3b-RoBVDEvDVO9AKCar5_G4k/s400/DSC_6529.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
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God used this race to teach me once again! A lesson in contentment! I don't need a big racing event with a lot of people, a fancy venue, multiple water stations or an overnight stay somewhere to enjoy a great run (although those races are fun too). All I need is God's strength, great friends, an incredible family and an open heart to enjoy the view of where I'm at right now! Well... and a good pair of running shoes. I can't wait to do another virtual race. Now to put another race on the calendar!</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Krystal</div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5054494836423255015.post-87915159860769563112013-10-06T14:21:00.000-07:002013-10-06T14:27:21.033-07:00Yet Another ProjectAbout 8 years ago my husband and I rushed into the idea of having a home. The struggle at the time was I was still finishing school, we didn't really know what we wanted and we were new to the entire concept of being a home owner. As most home owners, if we could go back there's a lot of things we would do differently, but for now we're just taking one project at a time. Over the past several years we've done a lot of planning, saving, dreaming and working on various projects. This last year we've made a lot of progress and getting closer to having our 'big' projects done. Our focus recently has been on completing our wrap around porch and finishing our mud room. I think every house has an area where things just get dropped off, everything from coats, bags, sunglasses, hats, gloves, papers, etc. We have definitely had that issue in our house (and these pictures are from a good day)!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nmEhD4B66TuoT-vdLFNJX2VDMyQdlEbmsbd0p2-0n_GEeosiqM16j1mx2LXhRsod5SgAuJQ9nrEUyk_aOUN0xlBW3GWiUNMoXUUMsP45VO7TFzPgWuzaUJh1tV2mbmQiI2NXaoZFqRk/s1600/Mud+room+sol1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nmEhD4B66TuoT-vdLFNJX2VDMyQdlEbmsbd0p2-0n_GEeosiqM16j1mx2LXhRsod5SgAuJQ9nrEUyk_aOUN0xlBW3GWiUNMoXUUMsP45VO7TFzPgWuzaUJh1tV2mbmQiI2NXaoZFqRk/s640/Mud+room+sol1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My dear husband is so incredibly talented at so many things that it's extremely difficult for him/us to hire some of the work to be done. After some discussion, Joshua agreed to have the cabinets in our mud room custom designed and installed. First thing we needed to get done though, was repairing the walls from where we used to have the washer and dryer and the doggie door. Then it was time to texture the walls and paint them! I think we make a pretty good team :)<br />
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Our mud room is one of the smallest rooms in our home but to me it's one of the most important rooms. So much love and encouragement can come from this one little room. This will be the main door that my precious family will leave from and return to. It's the one room where the coats, hat, gloves and shoes that keep them warm and protect them will reside. And soon one of the walls will contain a verse of encouragement for them to see each and every time they walk into our home. And last, but certainly not least, it will be the room that will help save the insanity of this Mama :)<br />
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I'm not sure who was more excited about getting this space put together. The kids...<br />
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Or there Mama?!?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tH7GV1dan001VjDnrbAxR-HwgdvpPo9p9H7OqLojRiL6K0gmT8ilPKC1oagBHygdVtRTDce4miFytuoCVFT_dUYqFnbes9IFcgXri4RnPTRJAc2LWQ4j35SEp-wDfWIgyKqryM8pfPQ/s1600/DSC_6077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tH7GV1dan001VjDnrbAxR-HwgdvpPo9p9H7OqLojRiL6K0gmT8ilPKC1oagBHygdVtRTDce4miFytuoCVFT_dUYqFnbes9IFcgXri4RnPTRJAc2LWQ4j35SEp-wDfWIgyKqryM8pfPQ/s400/DSC_6077.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
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The room isn't completely done just yet. The company needs to come back and fix a few things, the trim needs to be put up, the crown molding on the ceiling needs to be added, but we can at least begin using it. After Joshua got the hooks installed anyway.</div>
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This makes a Mama's heart happy! Being able to be organized in my home makes my heart happy and helps me serve my family on a daily basis. I have definitely learned that organization can ease daily stress and frustration for everyone in our home. Truly blessed! We're excited to work on the finishing touches of this room and have another project completed! We also had a broom closet added to the opposite wall, which I'll share after we completely finish the room :)</div>
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And now some of other other space can be better utilized, for example the kiddos have their homework table back! It's the little things that make us smile! Growth chart by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hdstatements" target="_blank">Heritage Designs</a>.</div>
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I truly feel that maintaining my home and finding ways to serve my family is crucial for me to be the wife and mom that God has called me to be!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Proverbs 24:3-4</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Stay tuned as we add the finishing touches~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Blessings,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Krystal</span></div>
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<br />Krystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563684878891001033noreply@blogger.com1