Get Up and Get Moving…

“Get Up and Get Moving”…this is something this Savage Girl has been struggling with for the past month… “Getting Up and Getting Moving”! I have had A LOT on my plate during the past month. I vowed that if I could live through September that I would try not to over commit myself again to so many things all at the same time! This past year I have been trying to realign myself and prioritize those things that are important to me and work hard at focusing my vision on them instead of being so scattered. I have made it a goal and priority to live healthier and move more in order to have a healthier body for Lara. No one else can help me achieve this other than myself! Tons of people are great sources of encouragement, but I know deep down that I have to have the want and desire within myself first to make it all possible. So I have been trying to be more active each and every day. September was hard, but I was still able to squeeze 30 minutes in 4-5 days each week. I am not perfect, but I am trying!

Now to throw in a promo for an upcoming work event related to this topic…This Saturday my office is hosting an event that is near and dear to my heart called “Second Saturday”. This event encourages families to “Get Up and Get Moving”! The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (my employer) and I want to encourage families to be active together. My co-workers Ken Johnson and Susan Turner and I welcome you to participate in Second Saturday! 2S is an opportunity for all community members to join together and show that they want to be healthy and have fun while doing so. The program is in its 6th year and the growth of the program demonstrates how Kentuckians value their health and the health of their communities.

So what will we be doing at Second Saturday?!?!?

October 12th from 3:00-6:00 p.m. in Downtown Tompkinsville come join us to “Get Up and Get Moving”. Magnolia & 3rd Streets will be closed for the event in order to help create a safe fall fun atmosphere. On the agenda for the event includes:  4-H St. Jude Color Walk, Hoola Hoop Contest, Group Fitness Classes hosted by the Family Wellness Center, Tricycle Trail, Free Hot Dogs and Water, Free Door Prizes, Fall Decorations (mums, pumpkins, corn, and straw)will be For Sale at the event, and the Monroe County Medical Center, Monroe County Family Wellness Center, the Monroe County Health Department & others will be offering health screenings and information.

The 4-H St. Jude Walk is open to anyone of any age. There will be a walking track loop setup along 3rd and Magnolia Streets for all those interested in walking. All individuals can walk for a donation in any amount.  All donations go to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and we’ll accept donations whether or not individuals walk. All walkers are to meet at the headquarters booth near City Hall to register to walk. Since the walk is a “color walk” we will be throwing colored powder and if you don't want to be painted with colored powder we will have a special tag for you to wear.

Attention parents…All kids with tricycles are encouraged to bring their tricycle and take the “tricycle trail” challenge that will be setup on Magnolia Street.

     

This event is a “come and go” type event or “come and stay” for the entire afternoon! If you are a planner like me and want to catch a particular FWC class that will be offered at 2S here is a tentative schedule of sorts: Pilates will be at 3:30 p.m., Zumba at 4:30 p.m. and Aerobics at 5:30 p.m. There will be a “Hoop-Off” at 5:30 p.m. also for all youth and all those young at heart.  

Please note that the 2S event will be canceled in the event of rain.  For more information about the 2S event please contact the Savage Girl at the Monroe County Cooperative Extension Service office at 487-5504 or leave me a comment on here. So together Let’s Get Up and Get Moving! Share this post to encourage others to "Get Up and Get Moving".  

Savage Girl Life Reflections

Tonight I have been thinking about how crazy and stressful my life has been over the past few weeks. So guess what?!?! I blog to take my mind off of it. You might be asking why in the world is this girl stressed. So let me explain. First, I know I brought this all upon myself because I said "yes" to many people and things over the past few weeks. I didn't have the heart to say "no" because I wanted to see everything happen that was thrown my way when I was asked to be involved. Second, I guess I thought I was superwoman or something like that! LOL

All this thinking got me to reflecting on the council and advice of the wise dear friends that have been my cheerleaders and my "angel" over the past few weeks. So I thought I would share with the Savage Girl blogging world because you might be struggling with the same addiction to saying "yes" when you should be saying "no" or "maybe" at another time. In no particular order here are some of the wise things that others have been telling me to help me along the past few weeks in order to survive the storm of craziness when "A Savage Girl Meets Life"...

"Ordinary people can do extraordinary things if they have faith."

"Ordinary people change lives and bring out the best in others..."
 
"Take a deep breath and everything will be OK."

"Life. It is what it is. You cannot change it now. Simply take it one step at a time. Work on the important things first and start marking them off the list one by one. Leave the unimportant things for another day. They will be there when you get back."

"Rome wasn't built in one day."

"Build Bridges. Collaborate and partner with others. Find those within your circle who are experts. Seek them out and ask for help where you fall short."

"Don't forget to delegate."

"You may not always understand why God allows certain things to happen but you can be certain that God is not making any mistakes."

"Smile. Chin up. Everything will be OK!"

"Keep your eye on the cross because we are saved by the power of God. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" 1 Corinthians 1:18."

And a little advice from me...(Please KEEP in mind I NEED to do more of this!) "Take time to kick your feet up and enjoy the moment."

 

And...last but not least let me personally add that when life throws you on the rocks and the climbing gets tough do not forget to be thankful first to God and second to those dearest and near to you! God will not give you more than you can handle at one time. So take time to whisper to God, give him the praise and glory, and ask for His council and guidance. He in turn will give you peace, guidance, and understanding in the mist of the storm.

Blessed

Tonight I wanted to take a few moments to say that I am truly blessed beyond measure! Sometimes I might procrastinate, forget things, or lose my patience but at the end of the day everything will be OK! I am a forgiven Savage Girl, that is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and it continuously washes me clean daily, and I have the hope of an eternal home in heaven one day waiting for me. I am blessed!

One of the toughest challenges for me is to be patient, listen to God, and do as He simply instructs for me to do each day. Sometimes I forget to remember how blessed I truly am because I get wrapped up in everything I have going on in my Savage life. Maybe you have the same challenge! Here are a few things I try to keep in mind each day:

1. Be open to hear God's Word. 
2. Keep in mind that God is all loving and trustworthy!
3. God commands us to follow Him. If we truly are His follower we will do so no matter if our friends and family are following, because God commands it. 
4. Obey and follow God's instruction no matter what challenges and adversity we face.   
5. Be loving and dedicated no matter the cost.

God challenges us and tests us to see if we will be faithful to Him. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him" (Jeremiah 17:7).

Watermelon Festival

Once a year the small town of Tompkinsville comes alive with hustle and bustle. It is awesome to see people out and about! I feel like I am in a metropolis city far removed from small town America in the heart of Kentucky on the Tennessee stateline! Around 10,000 come to “town” for the annual Monroe County Watermelon Festival each year. The local Tompkinsville Inn is booked years in advance leading up to the big day each Labor Day weekend.

Community volunteers, local business owners, and land owners have been preparing for this event by painting, doing improvement projects, and decorating storefronts. “Town” looks awesome! If you want to donate and give back to “town” the Heart of Tompkinsville Foundation would gladly accept your donation to help with downtown projects and events to help revitalize downtown Tompkinsville.  The mission of the Heart of Tompkinsville Foundation to strengthen the economic base of Tompkinsville’s central business district, to foster the restoration, preservation and development of its unique cultural and architectural heritage, and to establish the downtown as a great place to shop, work, recreate and live. Let me know if you need their contact information.

Getting back to the Monroe County Watermelon Festival…If you have never been to the Monroe County Watermelon Festival it is an annual event held each year the Saturday before Labor Day. The event is sponsored by the Monroe County Arts Council and the Tompkinsville Jaycees and almost all local organizations in the county participate in some form or fashion in the event.

Tomorrow Main Street will be covered with Arts and Crafts booths along with Commercial and Non-Profit promotional booths from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Parade officially kicks off the day’s events at 10:00 a.m. then live music will be going on throughout the day downtown. So bring your lawn chair and come join the fun! There will also be lots of food vendors offering a variety of food choices. Monroe County BBQ will definitely be a mainstay at the event! Personally the Savage Girl will be helping the Monroe County Extension Homemakers host the Annual Watermelon Festival Quilt Show in the Old Courthouse Courtroom. We will be accepting entries from 8:00-10:00 a.m. and will let the public view the quilts from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Also in the Courtroom an Acrylic Art Show will be on display for viewing.  The festival will be hosting a “Hoop-Off”, Local Author Visitation, 5K & Fun Run, Rolley-Hole Marble Tournament, Watermelon Contests, Cornhole Tournament, Antique Tracker & Engine Show, and much more!

There is something for everyone!  Come join the fun and excitement of all things watermelon at the 34^th Annual Watermelon Festival in downtown Tompkinsville Kentucky tomorrow. If you can’t make it tomorrow then plan to make a visit next year. Mark your calendar for the Saturday of Labor Day weekend next year.              

Yard Sales

Yes, I am going to blog about a work topic of sorts on my personal blog! Call me crazy, but it is something that I personally have coming up next week and I also know that you might benefit from a little information in the subject. Here is a blog press release of sorts about “Yard Sales”. Continue reading for helpful tips and pointers. I hope that you will join me in de-cluttering your life and ridding yourself of unnecessary items around your household! If you need to contact me about “yard sales” or any work or personal topic my information is below also. 

Do you have a pile of clothes in your closet that no longer fit? Maybe you have an entire wardrobe of clothes like me that are taking up valuable space! Losing 50 pounds has caused my extra closet to become stuffed with clothes I can no longer wear. Or maybe some books piled in the corner that you have already read. Well a yard sale gives you the opportunity to make a little extra cash, and keep these items out of our landfills. And if you are like me it also gives you spending money for a new wardrobe that is much needed!

On average Americans produce almost 3 pounds of waste per person per day. Second-hand items are a great way to reserve space in our landfill for items that cannot be reused, recycled or composted.  Remember the old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”  This Savage Girl now loves shopping at yard sales, consignment stores, and thrift stores. You can get awesome deals! Any items leftover after your yard sale can be taken to a local charity like the Village Shop we have here in Monroe County, or places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army located in nearby towns. Make sure to get a receipt for the items you donated to receive a tax deduction.

Yard sales are also a great place to find bargains. By purchasing second-hand items, you’re not only saving money but also conserving natural resources that would have been used to produce that item if it were new.  Take a pair of jeans for example; to make one new pair it takes approximately 2,900 gallons of water.

Next weekend, September 6 & 7, I will be having a yard sale personally to rid my house of unwanted clothes and clutter.  So if you need a bargain come and see me! Or maybe this blog post will motivate you to have your own yard sale to give me a little yard sale competition!

When shopping at yard sales there are a few pointers you should consider.

1.  Although extremely unlikely, bed bugs could potentially hitch a ride into your home on your yard sale purchase.
2. Wash and dry all clothing purchased at a yard sale as soon as you bring the items into your home.
3. For items such as couches be cautious and inspect the item carefully before purchasing, especially near seams. 
4. Do not purchase a used mattress. For more information on bed bugs contact me at work at the Monroe County  Extension office.

Whether you’re looking to make a few extra bucks this summer like me (because I need an entire "new to me" fall and winter wardrobe) or if you are in search of a bargain, a yard sale may be your answer!

Sources:  National Geographic. Earth’s Freshwater: A Guide for Teaching Freshwater in Grades 3 to 8. n.d. Accessed on May 10, 2013 at http://education.nationalgeographic.com/media/file/freshwater_chapter7_v2.pdf.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010. December 2011. Accessed on May 10, 2013 at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw_2010_rev_factsheet.pdf

 Ashley Osborne, Extension Associate for Environmental and Natural Resource Issues, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture

Tompkinsville's Newest Business..."City Cafe" is NOW OPEN

Today marked the opening day for a new business in downtown Tompkinsville, Kentucky! Terin Burgress Coe opened "City Cafe" on Main Street in the former Subway building. Terin asks that everyone please bare with her as she learns about the business and tries to work out all the bugs and kinks that any new business has whenever they first open.

I first met Terin a few months ago when she came into the Extension Office scoping out information for new businesses and the possibility of using local Kentucky Proud produce for her restaurant. We tossed around a few ideas and exchanged contact information. Fast forward a couple of months and today was the grand opening day of her new business! Terin is full of ideas, enthusiasm, and zest which is just what downtown Tompkinsville needs! Her dream came to fruition today when the doors opened this morning! I wish her the very best of luck. Please go support her and her new business!

City Cafe is open Monday-Friday 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the possibility of maybe one day expanding hours as their business and customer base grows. City Cafe will be offering breakfast and lunch. Their menu is small for now but once they have their menu items perfected they will be expanding it and will feature seasonal specials.

Here are a few photos of items that my co-worker Susan and I ate for lunch. They all were delicious and we both would recommend them to anyone! This is a must try kind of place for anyone especially the Savage Girl and her blog followers!
 

Chicken Salad on Croissant

Turkey & Swiss Sandwich

Grilled Chicken Salad

 

Top things to do in Louisville, Kentucky

I just got back from Louisville, Kentucky and decided there are a few things everyone should know about...so here are the top things to do on your next visit to Louisville, Kentucky whenever you are in the big city for a few days. And NO they are not in any particular order!

ONE.
Visit the Cheesecake Factory! Yes, I know it is a chain restaurant, but they have awesome desserts that I occasionally splurge on! FYI I worked out twice the next day following when I ate this yummy dessert...I was hoping to compensate for my sinful action! HA! The special currently is Toasted Marshmallow S'mores Galore. This Savage Girl thought she had died and gone to heaven!

TWO.
Visit the Kentucky State Fair, especially 4-H Cloverville and the Monroe County Pride of the Counties Booth! I just spent two days helping judge and prepare for you to visit along with 100+ other County Extension Agents, 4-H Volunteers, and State Specialists. I spent another couple of days meeting with the "Plate it Up" Kentucky Proud Committee and volunteering at the Monroe County booth.

The fair offers fun for all ages! 

 

Clovella (Monroe County 4-H Mascot) hung out a little with me at the fair helping judge the "folk art" and "nature" craft entries.

 

Here is the "Plate it Up" Kentucky Proud Committee at Agriculture Commissioner James Comer's Commodity Breakfast.

THREE.
Eat at Lilly's Bistro in the Highland area. They offer delicious Kentucky Proud cuisine and feature produce from Hart County, Kentucky.

FOUR.
Take in The Brown Hotel and try the official Kentucky "Hot Brown". I didn't make it there on this most recent trip but I ate there on a previous trip...and it was sinfully good!

FIVE.
Last but not least go visit the Christian brothers and sisters at Cedar Springs church of Christ. They are a warm and welcoming church that are worshiping God in spirit and in truth. Ben Giselbach is their minister and Hannah is his wife. If you need a few great blogs to add to your reading list check out "Plain Simple Faith" and "The Heart of Hannah".

So if you have visited the Louisville, Kentucky area before what is your top things to do while in the big city? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts!

The Bull and Thistle Take 2

Friends, food, fellowship, and fun are must haves for any girls day out...plus a little pit-stop at The Bull and Thistle! Last week a few friends and I traveled to Gainesboro, Tennessee to partake in a culinary experience like no other! My original intention and goal for the visit to Gainesboro was actually to go to my all time favorite dentist Dr. Driver for my six month dental cleaning. HA! But while in the area I knew I wanted to make a stop at one of the best restaurants around, so I extended the invitation to a few friends. Trust me...there was plenty of shops to keep them busy while I got my pearly whites polished and the small wait would be worth the awesome food! We decided to make it an all afternoon and evening affair to celebrate their birthdays! We even found a little time for pedicures and shopping :)

I like to think that the restaurateurs of this little "Celtic Irish" eatery had Proverbs 24:3-4 in mind when they had the vision for its creation. "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." The Bull and Thistle is a rare "diamond in the rough" type of place that has something for all ages along with friendly service and an awesome cozy atmosphere. It is filled with rare, beautiful, and tasty dishes. Check out my blog on my first visit to The Bull and Thistle if you haven't already read the post about why I think it is so great!

So if you have not already made the drive to this small community you must! If you locate Cookeville, Livingston, Carthage, Lafayette and Celina, Tennessee on the map the dead center is Gainesboro! If you visit be prepared to make frequent trips back!

Here is what we ate...

BLT...my friends each got this sandwich for lunch and I heard no complaints... 

Steak Sandwich...my sandwich...delicious! The fries were AWESOME!

Courtney's very chocolate dreamy dessert! 

Bananas Foster Crepes...my dessert was fantastic! It was my favorite thing that day at The Bull and Thistle :) But what girl doesn't love desserts! 

Strawberry Shortcake...Alisa was in heaven! 

The Birthday Girls and the Savage Girl! 

Now, stop reading my blog if you haven't been to eat at this restaurant yet. Make your reservation to visit The Bull and Thistle by calling (931)268-7170. Who knows I might see you there!  Keep in mind that food is not everything in life. The Savage Girl might talk a lot about yummy dishes and great places to eat but you also need to remember to "taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him" Psalm 34:8. Let me know if you have any questions about God, Family, Work, Service, or Health...basically anything in LIFE. I might not know 100% of the answers but I know a great book that does!

Our Corny Harvest Day!

After worship yesterday Lucy and I traveled to the great state of Tennessee to help out on the farm a little. There was no rest for these Savage Girls. The Savage Mama put me and my sister Anna to work and Lucy got to run around and play with Leo! Lucy was excited to be back on the family farm because she got to run around and play to her little hearts content. For "the humans" the big tasks of the day were to help put up cream-style corn, pick blackberries & raspberries, and do water aerobics in the pool. Needless to say Lucy is one exhausted little dog and she had one tired mama.

I've been helping put up corn on the farm from the time I was old enough to help pull the shucks off the ears of corn, but I don't think we have ever taken any photos until today. Here is the process we used to put up our cream-style corn. It is REAL scientific and technical!

Step 1: Shuck the corn.

Step 2: Silk the corn.

Step 3: Cut the corn off the cob.

Step 4: Blanch the corn-style corn by bringing it to a boil in a large stockpot for about 10 minutes or until it thickens. Cool corn and then package in plastic freezer bags. (Sorry I didn't take photos of this step...the Savage Mama did this while Anna and I cleaned up the shucks outside!) 

The clean-up helpers & side show entertainment Leo & Lucy! 

If you need a great resource for freezing or canning check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Trust me...you name it and it is on this website...freeze, can, dehydrate, cure & smoke, pickle, ferment, etc. When in doubt look up whatever you are preserving because rules and recommendations might have changed since you first learned about food preservation.

On a side note we Savage Women today harvested corn, blackberries & raspberries and the harvest was plentiful and the food preservation was easy, but we ALL should also be mindful of another type of harvest and preservation method. The Bible speaks about how that what is sown on good soil will bear fruit and high yields in Matthew 13. With "good soil" meaning that the one who hears the word of the Gospel and understands it will have plenty and gain lots...an eternal home in heaven. Have you shared the Gospel lately with anyone? I am guilty...I need to do more of this! Here are my thoughts on this topic...

• Maybe we should share with our friends the simple message that if they seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness all these things will be added to them (Matthew 6:33). 
• "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. 
• "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" John 3:36. 
• In Acts chapter 2 three thousand souls were saved by obeying the gospel as they followed God's plan of salvation. They were "pricked in their hearts" by the gospel message according to Acts 2:37 and Peter told them to "repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of your sins, and ye shall receive that gift of the Holy Ghost" Acts 2:38. 

I challenge you to go help with the "harvest" and help "preserve" others so that we can all meet in heaven one day when we receive the gift of eternal life after we've followed the New Testament Plan of Salvation.  Here are a few others posts I've written about God's Plan...

• Spring Cleaning (April 9, 2013)
• 3 Things I Know for Sure (That You Should Too!) (July 6, 2013) 

Hot Dog!

Sunday marked a momentous occasion in the Savage Girl's household. I welcomed a bouncing bundle of joy into my life that likes to bark, cuddle, prance, sniff, go for long walks outside, and have her belly rubbed. Hot Dog the Savage Girl has a new member of the family! I know I've been saying I don't have the time to devote to a pet right now and that I travel too much, but I couldn't pass this opportunity up! With all that aside let me tell you about the sweet little cutie in my life. Her name is Lucky Lucy Savage. Lucy is a Chihuahua Rat Terrier mix. She is around 2 years old and was rescued from the Brimstone Creek area of Clay County, Tennessee by my tenderhearted dad last week when he spotted her while grading the road. Lucy closely resembles my brother, Leo, my parents dog so she caught my dad's eye on the road while he was at work.  My daddy could not bare to leave her behind in her starving condition, so he loaded her up inside the grader and brought her home to the farm. When I was on the farm on Sunday I could not leave her at my parents house because she stole my heart! Needless to say I'm now the proud owner of a dog!

My parents and I are sharing custody of Lucy because they did not want to part with her 100%! We have a doggy agreement that whenever I travel for work they will assume care-taking responsibilities for Lucy. Needless to say we're ALL Lucky including Lucy! Lucy now has a home, I have a new pet that I've been wanting, and my parents get to love on a new dog and send her home whenever they are finished loving on her. I believe it is a Win-Win for all parties involved.

So if you have parenting advice for this new pet owner please comment or send me a message. At the current time we are trying crate training and enjoying new adventures together being two single Savage Girls. So stay tuned because now you will get to start reading about my new four-legged little girl as I take on parenthood.

Plate it Up! Kentucky Proud

One of my favorite things at work to do is help others gain access to nutrition foods by sharing information about fresh produce through new recipes, techniques, and tips. When producers and consumers are aware of the food around them then they will increase their fruit and vegetable purchasing, preparation, consumption and preservation. Today I went to the Monroe County Farmers Market to Plate it Up! Kentucky Proud with this recipe.

A little prep-work went into my appearance today at the farmers market. I took a few photos yesterday afternoon when I prepared the recipe samples. So here are step by step directions to make this yummy recipe:

Assemble ingredients.

Salad

• 3 ears sweet corn, shucked and washed


• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth


• 1 cup uncooked couscous


• 1 cup garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed


• 1 medium cucumber, washed, quartered and diced


• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, washed and halved


• 1/2 cup feta cheese


• 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion


• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons olive oil


• 3 tablespoons lemon juice


• 1 teaspoon dried oregano


• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin


• ½ teaspoon each, salt and pepper

 

Boil corn for 6-9 minutes or until tender. In a separate saucepan, bring broth to a boil and stir in couscous. Remove couscous from heat, cover and let stand 5-10 minutes.

Drain corn and immediately place in ice water. Drain ice water and pat corn dry; using a sharp knife cut the corn kernels from the cobs.

At some point you will need to cut up your veggies.

Fluff couscous with a fork and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, cucumber, tomatoes, cheese, onion, and parsley. Add couscous and corn to the vegetables.

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.

Pour over the couscous mixture; toss to coat. Serve chilled.

Here is the finished product at the market today! It got rave reviews from those who tried it with the exception of one picky kid who didn't like "salads" he claimed.

Yield 9, 1 cup servings

Nutrition Analysis 200 calories, 7 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol,250 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate,4 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 7 g protein.  

Source: Plate it Up! Kentucky Proud Project Recipe Card

Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Project

smALL Things!

The past few weeks and days have been super busy, but that's the Savage Life! This week the Monroe County Fair is going on, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is visiting Tompkinsville today, and my Weight the Reality Series program started yesterday. Needless to say life is full speed ahead, so here is a quick update on the Savage Girl... 

• I've tracked my DAILY food and physical activity since my last posting using my WW app on my mobile device! 
• I've made a point to MOVE more and DIG deeper. So far this week I've moved 60+ minutes each day since the last posting and I've spent the majority of that time letting His word talk to me while I've been moving at the gym. I'm a couple of weeks behind on my daily bible reading because I've been super busy and my daily devotional email reminder stopped coming (sad), BUT I think I'm about caught back up to where I should be if I was still within the plan to read the Bible in a year. According to my Kindle app I'm 50% through the Bible now! My goal is to read it cover to cover this year... Tomorrow I'm going to try to get back in my daily DIG routine of letting His word talk to me before my feet hit the ground. If only I could get motivated to get up early and MOVE before work. I'm still working on this one, but for now my MOVEment comes after work!  
• I've not ate anything after 8:00 p.m. since the last posting! I'm a sucker for late night snacks, so this has been hard! 
• 35 people signed up for the WTRS program I'm conducting, 30 showed up the first night...and collectively lost 35.6 pounds since they registered last week! 
• The only 3 beverages I've consumed in the last few days have been water, coffee, and green tea. I cut out carbonated beverages (my Diet Coke addiction) something like 6 months ago! I read somewhere that green tea helps with weight loss, diabetes control, heart disease prevention and much more, so maybe my consumption will help ward off my extra baggage and prevent diabetes & heart disease from entering my life.
• I'm currently caught up with my daily work record keeping...thanks to a co-worker's advice on a new book idea to record my statisticals prior to my end of the month reports.

Everyone should celebrate ALL the smALL successes in life no matter the size...right? This has been my motivation for the last 6+ months...smALL life things hence the blog!    

Anyways this is enough ramblings for one day! Now off to my day job...please pray that I can get my creative juices flowing quickly this morning because I'm going to need them! 

Sources of graphics: 

http://media-cache-ak1.pinimg.com/originals/e6/98/e5/e698e54e7b073a44a6b65938cc680f13.jpg

http://pinterest.com/pin/383509724488814649/

http://living4zachary.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html