She Runs By Faith

Happy Fitness Friday and safe trick-or-treating to anyone who will be out and about this evening! Halloween isn't a super special day for our family and I'm honestly not a fan of the creepy and sometimes disgusting costumes out these days, but I do enjoy candy and want E to have fun! I love the adorable costumes they have for little kids these days! Even on a day like halloween, it is possible to be a light for Christ by simply blessing and encouraging others. I think giving people candy counts as a blessing ;) Chocolate sure blesses me! "You are the light of the world . A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16 (emphasis added by me) And onto my Friday 5's... 5 Things That Made M...

Here it is, my first pregnancy update! With my first pregnancy, we took pictures every few weeks on Leo's phone but later lost them (along with his phone) in a blizzard incident and this blog didn't exist back then! I have a few pictures from late pregnancy but nothing from the earlier months. This time around I'm looking forward to taking pictures and writing a pregnancy update possible weekly or at least each trimester! Pregnancy Week 8: Baby #2 Cravings:  Bananas, broccoli with ranch and basically anything salty. Crackers with cream cheese and ham have been a favorite lately! Aversions: The smell of black coffee... Eating: Much more hungry and nauseous throughout the day. I'm Feeling: Very tired, but my energy is returning compared to last week. SO excited to have Baby #2 on the way and for E to be a big brother! Sleep:  I'm up every night to go the bathroom but besides that it's all good. Blame it on the hormones. I am so thankful E slee...

This week at One Year and Beyond we are sharing ideas for keeping in shape while caring for a toddler! Each season of life brings it's own blessings and challenges. In this season with a little one in the house, I am learning how important it is to use my time on what truly matters - God, serving my family, building relationships, taking care of my health. E is growing up so fast and he is SO busy. I hope I'm a pro at this whole time management thing before I have a 2-year-old and a newborn in the house (wishful thinking). Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NLT When it comes to staying fit in this season, chasing a toddler all day burns a lot of energy but it is still very important to be intentional about working out. Wrangling E doesn't really push my heart rate up super high (except when I'm panicking) and it doesn't work each muscle group. Everyone is busy and we all have the same 24-hours. It's so e...

This pregnancy feels real now that I'm exhausted, nauseous and constantly hungry. Though I feel pretty rough, Leo and I couldn't be more excited for Baby #2! Running this week has been a challenge. The dog and E in the jogging stroller have been my running partners most days and we are moving at about 9:30/mile. That's a big change since the Wild Hog Half only 3 weeks ago! Though my pace has slowed drastically, I am thankful to be out and moving. Exercising helps so much with the pregnancy symptoms and there are many benefits for you and baby . Oddly enough, even my nausea fades a little while I run. Why Exercise While Pregnant? Running for Women by Kara Goucher is another one of my favorite running-related books because it covers a topic that has been taboo for so long - running while pregnant. There is a lot of misunderstanding with physical activity and pregnancy so it's nice to take in valid information. There are so many benefits to staying active t...

This week on One Year and Beyond we are sharing busy toddler activities. Since the weather is cooling off in our area, now is the time to brainstorm busy toddler indoor activities to survive the winter! This summer we have been spoiled by many trips to the playground and hours upon hours spent playing outside. With October flying by fast, the dreaded winter is on it's way, whether I want to accept it or not. Now that E is a busy toddler, here are a few ways we are going to keep busy on those -20°F days that may be in our future... Busy Toddler Indoor Activities 1. Make an Art Mess Project. Let your toddler create a messy work of art with markers, finger paints, egg cartons, play dough, or whatever other toddler-safe mediums you have. Color Wonder markers are the best! 2. Create a Rec Room. Designate a room in your house as a recreation room for balls, ride-on toys, and other outdoorsy things. Our basement is the rec room and the change of environment really helps...

It seemed like Friday would never come this week, but it's finally here! Here are my 5 favorites for Fitness Friday  :) 1. Double Coffee. I hate to be "that person", but when the Starbucks guy handed me a cold frappaccino instead of a cappuccino I had to say something (in the nicest tone possible!). The guy said I could have both drinks and turns out the frappaccino isn't even caffeinated so E and Leo shared the treat on our way home :) This was something so simple that 100% made my day! Vanilla Cappuccino and a Vanilla Bean Frappaccino...  2. Harvest Weather. The guys are exhausted and nearly everyone in this town is looking more worn out and grumpy than last week. Harvest is getting closer to being done one day at a time. Thank God for this weather and for caffeine to keep those guys awake! Our family this fall - E is so blessed to have Uncle "Bug" living with us! 3. Running Aimlessly. No races on the calendar for the rest of the ye...

I'm joining up with One Year and Beyond this week and the topic is loving your post-pregnancy body. Back in April, I wrote a post on this topic called "Body Image After Baby" and this is the perfect time to revisit the discussion. As E is getting older, I'm feeling like I have my body "back". After a beautiful summer of playing outside and two half marathons, I'm in better shape than I was pre-baby. I feel great! Now here's the kicker... We want more babies. As many as God chooses to bless us with. Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him. PSALM 127:3 E and I chilling at the finish line of the Wild Hog Half Marathon With more babies comes more pregnancy and more body image battles. E is now 19 months old and he is gearing up to be a big brother! Yes, God has graciously blessed us with Baby #2! It's early in the pregnancy but this is something we want to share right away. Life begins at conception and this is...