The 7 Things I'm Loving in 2017

I make lists, lots and lots of lists.  Most of my lists get lost in the abyss of my desk or my car, but I made the list.  There's something cathartic about just getting it down on real paper.  Yeah, I don't normally use the handy-dandy list app on my phone.  That would make too much sense.  I mean, what's the fun in getting to the store and remembering that you left your list on the little box thing that holds your keys so that "you wouldn't forget" the list?!?! 👀

In my list-making frenzy, I listed 7 things that I'm loving in the early stages of 2017.  

1.  This Bullet Journal . Well, it's not an official bullet journal until you make it one. I bought this one last year, and I'm still using it to journal about whatever my overthinking brain needs to get out onto paper.  Many of my lists go here. Haven't ventured into bullet journaling?  Oh boy!  Go check out Pinterest.  You better grab a cup of coffee (see No. 6); you'll be there a while. 
   
2. These Pen Holders for my journal, my calendar, and all my other nerdy notebooks. The adhesive is great and I always have my favorite pens available! 
3. Speaking of pens, this one is my current favorite.  I also love these for when I'm feeling super creative. 
4. As I have recently graduated from a Transcript Proofreading Course (yayyyyyy!), I have started using my iPad Mini 2 to proofread jobs while on the go.  I'm kind of old school with the whole touchscreen thing and felt that I would rather use a keyboard.  I'm loooooving this little keyboard and case.  I seem to be much more productive and efficient with my keyboard in tow. I obsessively researched (shock, I know) before I settled on this one. The major difference is the fact that the keyboard doesn't come loose, and the iPad can rotate 360⁰. Need a proofreader? I know someone 🖉😉
   
5. I have a goal of reading (actually reading) 12 books (real books) in 2017.  I'm sure that sounds like a wimpy goal, but I have been really slacking in the reading department in the last few years. My pick for January is Loving My Actual Life: An Experiment in Relishing What's Right in Front of Me by Alexandra Kuykendall.  It is SO what I needed to read during this seemingly unending season of change. 
   
6. COFFEE!! Why is coffee number 6?  I don't know. BUT I have found my soul-mate coffee. The crazy thing is that it's roasted just a few miles from my house. WHO KNEW? It was recommended to me by a new friend and, seriously, YOU NEED THIS COFFEE IN YOUR LIFE. Headland Roasting Company is a small, family-owned business.  You can check them out on Facebook here. If you're local, go check out this sweet spot. Oh! I almost forgot! They have chocolate covered espresso beans! Yep.  It's kinda perfect.  
   
7. And last but certainly not least...drum roll...my Happy Planner!  If you know me personally, you have seen this little gem.  It is just part of my daily wardrobe.  It's an extension of my brain.  I can't function without it.  And the stickers!  Oh, the glorious stickers!  I love stickers. 
   

What are some of your favorite things? Please tell me that I'm not the only one who gets attached to things like pens and pen loops. 💗

DISCLAIMER: These images aren't mine.  I HAD my own images of each product (because I actually use every single one), but my memory card on my camera decided that it was time to die. Therefore, these are all borrowed. 😏

I'm Baaaaaack...

Hello all,
It's been a while.  I have been stuck on the crazy train for the past two years, and blogging just wasn't at the top of my list for survival. (insert dramatic eye roll). We are two years post-adoption of our sweet and spunky Sadie, and I finally feel like I can come up for air.  So I'm coming back to the blogging world with more wisdom (Ha!) and more humility (Ha, again!).  But seriously, I'm happy to be back this time with no agenda other than trying to share what the Lord is teaching me and hopefully encouraging you to RUN to him with more freedom and intensity than ever before.  I'll be talking about what I'm studying and what He's teaching me.  I really think God just sits up there and shakes his head when dealing with me.  I'm quite the handful for Him but He never gives up shaping and molding and saying, "Let's try this again."  #thankfulforgrace

My people 

This year, I will be running another half-marathon in one of our favorite cities, SAN ANTONIO!! I'll be blogging about my training...my great runs along with my bad ones. I have found that training at the age of 44 is MUCH different than training at the age of 40.  More aches and pains.  More crazy talk from my brain.  The struggle...

I'm working out three days a week with some of the most fabulous, Jesus-seeking, selfless, F.I.T. girls on the planet.  I'm forever grateful that God brought these ladies into my life.  Their commitment to meet ridiculously early to train our brains and our bodies to seek Him has been beyond amazing.  If you girls are reading I LOVE YOU more than I love SQUATS!!! 

I'm also embarking on a new year of homeschooling our girls.  I have a love-hate relationship with homeschooling.  I'll be talking a little about that. I'm also teaching Anatomy (eeeeek!!!! :)) at our home school Co-op!! Our big boy is going to school and y'all know how I love me some football. I'll be supporting and cheering loudly for the Northside Methodist Knights  (even though he's ineligible this year--AISA rules. Bleh.) 

My newest (and REALLY exciting) endeavor is that I'm FINALLY chasing a dream that I have had since my teens. PROOFREADING.  I'm taking classes to learn legal transcript proofreading.  I'm hoping to graduate by the end of the year and starting real-life WORK in 2017.  Now that I've put this info out, the accountability factor has just gotten real.  Also, I'm still human (and still learning those blasted comma rules), so you'll probably find mistakes in my blog. :) Don't judge!

And then there's just the shenanigans that our family seems to get into.  It's just how we roll. You just gotta laugh and move on.  

I'm glad you're here, and I'm glad to be back.  My prayer is that my words can encourage you to seek Him and learn to laugh at the days to come.  

Alice