Shopping and runnning!!!

My first recreated shirt, a plain racerback tank with a touch of flair, and color, pink but of course!!

new shoes for summer weddings, we have 3 thus far. 2 in august and one in september, tank I am talking about, $3.50 is such a steal!!!

Second shirt refashion, this was just a plain pink top, i added flowers from an old too small tank with cutting and fusible web and hand sewn on some pretty little beads and took the ruffle off old tank and used liquid stirch which is a fabulous solution to sewing sometimes!!

So today. I decided instead of sitting in traffic on the way home from Phoenix's PT. I would stop by the mall. I don't need anything and actually am attempting to revamp some of my clothing, which is fun and fairly free, nothing ever seems inexpensive with me though. Mike always says you gotta spend money to save money, cause I always convince him that what I want is a great deal. It's our little joke.

But I wanted to get Mike some new summer clothes, he's lost weight, gained weight and now balanced out so.... we both have six wardrobes, mine consist of the pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, the awkward in between baby weight and the oh I am getting my body back: yet somehow my chest has fallen three more inches toward my once existent waist wardrobes. The fabulous news is I am using all his old clothes as revamp t-shirt sewing projects!!! So not a total lost. And I have made progress in thinning out all my wardrobes and giving them away or throwing them in the fabric pile. I have decided that 3 pregnancies ago most of my maternity clothing were cute, but not the next time around, which will still be a while from now. In my mind anyway. That will be a fun shopping spree. Maybe.

So I hit up Macy's cause they have the best fitting clothes for him and came home with a bag full of shirts. He picked through and loved about half, which is great for us. On my second shopping expedition of returns, I found some great steals on summer staples and wanted to share them.

Forever 21 has Long tanks in fun colors with lace on top for 3.50, can't be beat. Macy's has these awesome Baudeu strapless Bra with under wire, cause who doesn't need the support, for like $20 and they are great. Oh and if you have weddings this summer Forever 21 has great shoes for dirt cheap, like $24, that is more than half the price of any other shoe I've seen.

Also, I am revamping clothes from my closet, most of these ideas can be done by hand with things around the house, so here's some links and a couple picks of what I've accomplished.

http://www.madebylex.com/

http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/

Running Glorious running has been up and down, continuing to get better at breathing and found this website called http://www.marathonrookie.com/, which has been so helpful and encouraging to the process. Continuing to see God in all the complexities of it and loving making time to be in nature. We've been running at a new track. Mike and I and the boys and it helps the time go by fast if we run on a walking trail and not a bike trail. Yesterday we ended up on a bike trail and that was a bit annoying, but I did my time and sweat my booty off. The goal at this point is to run 30 min with out stoppimg, I am truly only at about 20 before this crazy cramping happens in my shoulder, but everyday I get better at this art form, so here's to drinking more water to ward off cramping.Hope today you all get some fresh breathing time alone or with someone you love, it makes our hearts happy. Love to you all!!

Come on in and have a Breath of fresh air.

So this is my new baby. I have decided after being sucked in one too many nights into the blog world of creativity, families with encouraging and courageous lives, ideas and.... oh my the list is just beginning in my head. And I promise to share them with you all.

There is a story always a story behind names in my life and world. So hang in there while I share the inspiration for this blog. Two going on three weeks ago my best friends niece died in a farm accident. At this point my Shanny, (this is my endearing name for her that she loathes) had been training for a half marathon for a couple of months and it was planned for the weekend after sweet Delia's sudden death. Of course all of us who love her and know that she is fiercely committed gave her every reason not to. Besides all the traveling, emotional support to her family and husband, mothering( two lovely girls Eden 3 in July and Keela 8mo) she had done in that week, the pure devastation and grief were not going to fully hit her until she stopped and breathed in air for a little bit. She was on the fence about whether or not to go for it, but of course when the date came she hit the ground running!!!

We chatted Sunday night about her race and all that her heart and mind went through. All that God carried her through and wove into her during the race. She balled at points because she realized that she should have been sharing this Joy and accomplishment with the ones she loved including Delia. Also all the emotion that had to be stuffed down for a week came to the surface and erupted in tears and joy. Needless to say she finished and I left the conversation with a desire and nudging. Because of the deep admiration and joy I felt in her accomplishment and in her beauty.

Now anyone who knows me , has heard me on many occasions echo my pure unadulterated hate for running. I admire those who do it, but for me it equals pain and discipline on a level I just don't come by naturally.It also is associated with uncomfortable images of body parts unruly and smacking me in the face and my then (9yrs. ago) overweight, like an additional 80lbs. body.

So when mentioning the desire and idea of doing it, Mike laughed at me. Well not full blown belly laugh, but more of a chuckle. When I proceeded with certainty and Shannon laid out the reality of training for it. Mike was on board with pride and a little uncertainty of what happen to his wife. He took me the next day to get running gear, he's so wonderful!!! Day one through 3 proved to be hard, realizing that the pain did not become less after 9 yrs. of not running, and the breathing part I am no good at. And fore mentioned memories did not take place, thank God for great bras and three pregnancies to reduce the excess.

All of this to say that I have learned a tremendous amount about myself already and that is worth every ounce of discipline I can summon up. But most of all I have seen that the key to it all is BREATHING. Which I feel is the Key to all of life. Taking a step back to breathe. Breathe in life, beauty, strength, peace; whatever it is you need is as accessible as air if you just stop to gain it through fresh breath and a healthy dose of perspective. Needless to say, last week i committed to do a half marathon in Nashville, TN in late September with Shannon, Dana, Amy (my mom in law), and a longtime friend of ours Lydia.

And so without further ado....

I am starting my own way to breathe, mainly because I believe that this year has revealed so much about me and who I am and what I love in life and I want to share it, the beauty and struggles of motherhood, swimming through the endless world of craftiness and sharing my favorites with you and all the other wonderfully complex rooms of my heart need a place to Breathe and if you wanna a place breathe, come along for the run.

Here's the amazing definition and i highlighted the favorites for me!!


Breathe - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

"Words You Never
Knew Came From
'Mother'

Main Entry: breathe
Pronunciation: \ˈbrēth\
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): breathed; breath·ing
Etymology: Middle English brethen, from breth
Date: 14th century
intransitive verb
1 a : to draw air into and expel it from the lungs : respire; broadly : to take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide through natural processes b : to inhale and exhale freely
2 : live
3 a obsolete : to emit a fragrance or aura b : to become perceptible : be expressed
4 : to pause and rest before continuing
5 : to blow softly
6 : to feel free of restraint
7 of wine : to develop flavor and bouquet by exposure to air
8 a : to permit passage of air or vapor b of an internal combustion engine : to use air to support combustion

transitive verb
1 a : to send out by exhaling b : to instill by or as if by breathing
2 : to give rest from exertion to to inhale
3 : to take in in breathing
4 : and exhale
5 a : utter, express b : to make manifest : evince
— breathe down one's neck 1 : to threaten especially in attack or pursuit
2 : to keep one under close or constant surveillance
— breathe easy or breathe easier or breathe easily or breathe freely : to enjoy relief (as from pressure or danger


Stay tuned for more fun oposts to come but too hold you over here's a new favorite Blog of mine. So much great creativity and articles!!

http://www.dana-made-it.blogspot.com/