Good for me

At the beginning of 2006, I set two goals. The first was to lose 27 lbs. I’m about half way there.
The second was to run in the Terry Fox 10km Run in September. To do so, I knew I needed to start training.
I’ve never run before. Ever. I never liked it and would use my asthma as an excuse not to. But inspired by the Terry Fox movie last fall and all the runners I know, I decided to start.
So, I started slowly. I ran for a block and walked for a block. I did this for 2.5 km every few days, until I built up to running for two blocks and walking for one. Again, over and over for 2.5 km. Today, I ran 3, walked 1. After I’m able to do four blocks of running, I’ll increase my distance.
I knew that running would be good for my physically. However, I was surprised at how good it has been for me spiritually.
I get up at 6:15am to be able to be back before Cameron has to leave to go drive bus. I heard that it’s easier to get outside if you know someone is waiting for you, so I imagine that Jesus is waiting for me at the end of my driveway and we go for a run together.
It’s great. I pray, vent, praise and plan my day, but with Jesus in mind. I ask him questions and try to listen for the answer. I enjoy the beautiful day he’s given me, with him.
It has been so wonderful for me, I can’t even begin to describe it.So I’m very thankful that I started running. It’s been really good for me.

Happy 70th Birthday, Mom!

This Spring, I started wondering what to get my mom for her 70th birthday (she is the queen of shopping and never needs anything!) I came across an idea in Simple Scrapbooks Celebrations 2 of making an album called 70 years, 70 memories. I called and emailed family and friends to send memories of my mom so I could put them together in a 6x6 album. Here are the results:

Anticipating summer

Only a few more days until summer vacation… and until Austin is home full time. Jonah, Sage & I found a groove this year with Austin in school all day. I can’t say he won’t disrupt it either.

So, I’m making some plans…

First of all, to avoid the constant request for television, I plan on taping the CBC morning line-up so the boys can watch the shows after lunch while Sage naps, thus keeping our mornings tv free.

I’m also planning on encouraging lots of reading this summer, so we’re going to sign up for the reading program at the library. I also want to spend some one-on-one time with Austin, so I’m planning on putting Jonah and Sage to bed at 8 in the evenings and keeping Austin up a little later to read with him.

I’m also planning on keeping busy and having fun, with play dates, bike rides, trips to the park, the zoo and swimming lessons (which means trips to the beach.)

Here’s to a great summer of 2006!

Get to know me

I saw this on Heather's blog and thought it was fun so here you go...

1. FIRST NAME? Leigh
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not that I know of.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Last night after an argument with Cameron.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? yes, but not as much as other people's.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? roasted turkey breast
6. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? three, Austin, Jonah & Sage
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes.
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? This is it.
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Not really. ;)
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I think so.
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Runners, yes. Other ones, no.
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Skor.
16. SHOE SIZE? 8
17. RED OR PINK? Probably pink...
18. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My 15 pounds that I can't seem to lose!
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My dad.
20. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Woman's Pavillon at the Health Science's Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on August 14, 1972.
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Khaki shorts and barefeet.
22. WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? a monster cookie (hmmm, could this maybe be why I can't lose the 15 lbs?)
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My computer hum.
24 IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? right now, I'd pick watermelon red.
25. FAVORITE SMELL? newborn baby
26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE? Anita, oh no, wait, some telemarkerter after supper.
27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU MEET? I don't know. Their face?
28. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Changing the lyrics to songs spur of the moment.
29. FAVORITE DRINK? Skim milk
30. FAVORITE SPORT? Softball
31. HAIR COLOR? brown
32. EYE COLOR? green
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Rarely, because they make my eyes feel SO dry.
34. FAVORITE FOOD? French fries (Hmmm, could be more evidence towards the mystery of the non-missing 15 lbs...)
35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? happy ending, not a fan of scary movies
36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Scooby Doo with my kids tonight.
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? a black tank top.
38. SUMMER OR WINTER? definitely, without question, SUMMER!
39. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs
40. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate. (Okay, mystery solved!)
41. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? just started a Ray Blackstone book (Lost in Rooville) from our church library today, but am not really enjoying it, so I don't think I'll finish it.
42. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? a picture of my family (a gift from Anita!)
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? My kids sleeping.
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? neither
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? England
46. IF YOU COULD PICK ANY TWO PEOPLE TO HAVE DINNER WITH, WHO WOULD THEY BE? Francine Rivers and Angela Hunt (two of my favourite authors)

A day at the horses

Well, actually, it was a couple of hours at our friends' house who recently got a horse. (I actually took these photos a few weeks ago but didn't get around to posting them until today.) The horses name is King and he is the nicest, most gentle horse I've ever seen.

Sage had probably the best time of her life. She would pick grass and feed it to King and I don't think she stopped smiling.

That is, until...
Cameron decided to put her on the horse.
Then it was a different story.

She lasted maybe 30 seconds and then she wanted off.

The boys however, each went for a ride around the pasture and really enjoyed it.

Retreat!!

Our church held it's annual retreat this past weekend at Rock Lake. This is the first time we've had it there. Since the camp was less than an hour away, I figured it'd be very doable to take the kids there for the day on Saturday while Cameron cut hay. So that's what we did. The forecast was for rain, which held off until suppertime, leaving us with plenty of time to hang out at the beach. My kids had a great time: throwing rocks into the lake, "fishing," swimming, playing on the sand (& Austin getting buried in it!)
I had a wonderful time hanging out with friends and helping out with the younger kids during one of the sessions. My boys helped make monster cookies and they all made crafts in honour of Father's day.





The perfect end to a great day? The rainbow that appeared in the sky as we drove home.

R.O.X. is winding up

Well, our Sunday school program, ROX (which stands for Radical over Christ) is winding up for the year. I can't even tell you how much I enjoy being a creative communicator (aka large group teacher) there. It is such a rush. I love teaching the kids about God and how they can have a friendship with Jesus.

This morning, we did a bit of a review and asked the kids to talk about something that has stood out to them in the past 10 weeks of lessons. There were so many kids who raised their hands and shared about how they're trying to forgive, or turning off the tv or video games to spend time with their siblings, or living Jesus' way. It was really cool.

A couple of kids shared how they asked Jesus to be their forever friend, which was so cool. A grade six girl shared how she told her friend about Jesus and how they prayed together to ask Jesus to be her forever friend. It was so encouraging to hear. It's so overwhelming to think of how God uses me to teach these little ones about Him.

Definitely a highlight of my week. And of my life.

Not good!

So I've been trying to clear some perenials out of my garden to make room for some vegetables in one of them and convert a second garden into a patio. I've posted on MSS and asked friends: "Do you need perenials? Come and dig them up."

Yesterday, my friend Susan came over with her kids to get some. Adam, her eight month old baby started crying, so I offered to carry her last pot (think large) to her van so she could hold Adam. Everything was going fine until I stepped off the curb and fell, twisting my ankle and skinning my knee. I got up after a minute and my ankle felt fine, but while I was making supper, it started to feel worse. So, following the advice of my ER nurse friend, Marlo, I'm icing it and taking Advil.

And, we only had Dora bandaids in the house, so I looked pretty cool at Austin's baseball game last night, let me tell you!

And of course, today, I have plans to go to Winnipeg this afternoon with the Creative Communicators from ROX for a matinee, shopping and supper at a Thai restaurant. So I guess I'll be limping around Old Navy...

Hope you have a great (an spastic accident-free) day!

Good week

We've had a busy, but good week this week.

Most of the week was spent getting ready for the garage sale that my friend, Susan, and I had at her house on Thursday and Friday. Got rid of some baby stuff (yup, we're done!) and it felt great just to purge some stuff we don't need out of our house!

Yesterday morning, I walked 5 km in Winkler for the Crisis Pregnancy Centre walk-- my first "walk"! I walked with my friend, Lorie, who had injured her foot, so I told her that she could set the pace. Ha! She totally was cruising-- I had to work hard to keep up! But we got a good time: 51 minutes. (Or, at least, I thought it was good! We beat the two 9 year old girls behind us, so we were happy!)

In the afternoon, we walked to Austin's friend's house and the kids went swimming. On the way home, Sage was determined to pull the wagon (as usual!) However, when Austin and Niko climbed in, she kept on pulling it! She amazes me, that baby girl of mine!

So today, we had church, lunch at home and I scrapbooked while Sage and Cameron napped. In a little while, we'll walk to Warky's to meet some friends for supper.

Hope you're having a great weekend!