Good morning!  I hope your week is starting out to be a good one!  Remember to take a few minutes to just be thankful for everything around you.  We have so many blessings and some days we just need to take note of all that we have.  

As some of you who follow me on Facebook may know, I started the Couch to 5K program 7 weeks ago.  I am by no means a runner, and this has been a challenge for me.  For those of you unfamiliar with this program it is designed so that you go from Couch (no running) to running a 5K in 8 weeks.  I bought the app for my iPhone for .99 and a voice tells me when to walk and when to run.  You start slow, run 1 minute, walk 1 minute, etc. and build up to running 5K (3.1 miles).  I started off huffing and puffing my way along and I will admit that in the first two weeks, I wanted to reach into my phone and slap that voice silly, but I stuck it out.  

I started week 7 today and actually jogged for 20 minutes straight today or 3K (1.8 miles).  I can't believe I did it!!  I can listen to my music which I have tuned into K-Love and the voice interrupts to tell me what to do.   I have been very fortunate with the weather and only had to run on the tread mill once last week because it was raining.  

I also started the South Beach diet about 2 weeks ago.  Between the two programs, I have lost 9 pounds and can fit back into my summer clothes from last year.

What programs are you doing to take care of your health and body?  I encourage you to find something that challenges you , but also is fun to do!

You CAN do this!!

God bless!

Happy Summer!

So now I have been away for a while again!  I can not believe how fast time goes by!  I have been keeping up with our monthly newsletter, but I really need to get back to my blogging!  So let's start over today!!

We have so much going on around here!  The garden is going crazy and we have been able to enjoy fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, green beans and more!!  We have a few sugar baby watermelons that should be ready soon!

I just love summer time!  

Matthew is just about finished umpiring for the summer and we are going on a much needed vacation to California to see Matthew's brother David!  We are taking Papa along and it should be a great time! 

Coming up in August our beloved first granddaughter, Amelia will arrive!  I made this quilt for her and gave it to mom at her shower at the end of June!

Our Quilt Bear Cafe Club is going well and this month's project is the Charmed Living Table Topper.  I made this one for a gift for my new sister-in-law and will give it to her when we go to California.  We will be piecing the top this month and quilting it next month.  If you want to make one too, you can purchase a kit HERE.  

I used a charm pack I had in my stash, but if you like the red, white and blue I would suggest the Old Glory Gatherings charm pack.

We just started a new incentive at The Quilt Bear!  Make any purchase over $40 and be automatically entered in our monthly drawing for a $10 Quilt bear Gift Certificate!  AND our top spender for the year will receive a gift basket valued at $100!!  How's that for a reward for buying awesome quilt stuff you already love!!  Start shopping and good luck!!


I hope you all are doing great and enjoying your summer!