She Runs By Faith

The snow. It's here! Today is a whopping 0°F but I can't complain. The snow and cold are just a reminder that I do in fact live in northern Minne(snow)ta! I was starting to wonder on those 40 degree November days. Besides Monday and Tuesday morning last week, the weather has been too cold to play outside with the little ones. We have managed to keep busy and burn their energy while indoors. Our basement is what I call the "rec room". We run, play hockey, have ball wars and run some more. Anything to burn off toddler energy. We have baked TWO batches of "birthday cookies" for Jesus (you know, because I only have birthday sprinkles in the house!) and the sugar rush is running strong here. Pinterest rejects on the left. Pretty cookies on the right. I ran on the treadmill during the blizzard days last week and only made it for one outdoor run. As boring as it may be, I'm thankful to have the treadmill as an alternative to freezing my tail ...

December is here, snow is flying and the days 'til Christmas are counting down. Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year! I love making memories with family and friends, reading stories to the kids cozied up by the Christmas tree and remembering to be thankful for these special relationships and for the ultimate gift of all, Jesus Christ. We've been baking "birthday cookies" for Jesus this week and the kids love it! Maybe you have all of your Christmas shopping finished OR perhaps you're scrambling for a creative gift idea. Wherever you are in that broad spectrum, finding the perfect gift to bless someone special can be a daunting task! Today I want to share a list of my favorite Swanson Health products to help you on the "perfect gift search". I love Swanson Health's variety of health products and their affordable prices. Simple, thoughtful and health-minded gift ideas that don't break the bank! Plus,  Swanson Health is spr...

It's a wonderful surprise when a package shows up on your doorstep. Especially when coffee is involved! A couple weeks ago I had my first taste of Tayst Coffee. Tayst Coffee Roaster is a monthly subscription coffee service that offers a wide variety of products for Keurig and Nespresso machines. Check out all of blends they have available  here . What sets Tayst apart is their 100% compostable Purpod100™. I was really impressed! It has a unique look but functions just like the standard k-cup design... only better. On their website, Tayst states, "Our Mesh is special! Unlike the punch hole most single serve cups use, our mesh filter allows for even water filteration producing fuller flavors and smoother mouth feel." I tried a few different blends and the  Bold & Brazen and Medium & Magnificent were my top picks. Could I "Tayst" the difference with this mesh design? Yes. The Tayst coffee has a deep, full flavor and makes Keurig c...

I have some exciting news for the upcoming year: I have been selected to be a 2017 BibRave Pro Ambassador! What's BibRave all about? "BibRave is a running community that connects runners with the best races!  It's the place to research races you’re considering signing up for, and a place to leave feedback on races you’ve completed. BibRave is also a way for races and running brands to connect with socially savvy runners - through our popular weekly Twitter chat, #BibChat, and our large ambassador network - BibRave Pros." Bibrave.com The BibRave Pros are a team of “socially-savvy individuals who LOVE to race!” Be sure to stop by Bibrave.com to share your own reviews and check out my reviews by  clicking here . A few perks of being on this team are the community, the FREE race entries and the FREE running gear! For 2017, I will be sharing my usual training log and race reports along with new gear/product reviews and great discounts as a BibRave Pro . I...

The week after Thanksgiving has been a blur! I still don't feel caught up but we have jumped back into a "normal" routine again. Monday was a shock to the kids' system after 5 days at Grandma and Grandpa's farm! Here are a FIVE highlights from this (actually the past two) week: What We Did " Qwirkle " went from a boardgame gathering dust in our game closet to a new favorite, thanks to Leah's Qwirkle preschool learning ideas ! She has great suggestions for sorting and other fun activities with the Quirkle game squares. (Sorry, I don't have any pictures!) A little clothespin reindeer project turned out really cute and I will share more next week - see picture above :) We spent time outdoors searching for Oak trees, the Outdoor Hour Challenge 's topic of the week, and building forts in the woods over the past two weeks. Though we couldn't find a single acorn (fat squirrels!!!), we DID find oak leaves and some other treasures! ...