Oh, boy! I am beat today. Last night was a late night. We had a meeting at church to discuss some new leadership roles for small groups in our congregation. It went from 7:00 until 9:30 and then we had to make the 30 minute drive home. Somehow it was after 11 by the time I hit the sack. The meeting discussed a lot of important issues. It was a reality check to how much more our church can do to help foster relationships among the members. I know I could not imagine my life without the friendships that started inside those four walls. I will be happy to serve however I can to extend that same support and community to others. Just as I love to share friendship and support with my fellow bloggers! Hi everybody! Are you making your day the best it can be? Only you have the power to do that ya know!

Today has been a good one around these parts. It did not go 100% as expected though. The reality check that started last night continued on throughout today. Despite my late night I still managed to wake up early enough to accomplish some tasks. I decided tackling my email folder was a good one for the early morning. Reality check = replying to emails is a huge time suck! My morning time flashed in the blink of an eye. Likely because I was replying to reader questions, which is something I truly enjoy doing. Remember? One of the best compliments in my mind is when someone trusts you enough to turn to you for help.

Another reality check came quickly after that. My body aches. The TurboJam Cardio Party DVD I did yesterday kicked my butt in a way that hasn’t happened in awhile. My shoulders, legs, and back are all sore. At first I thought this worked out perfectly because Thursdays are my rest days. Reality check. Today is only Wednesday.

I wonder if anyone ever called her “Hump Day”? Anyhoo. I spent the morning honing my coloring and dancing skills with Makenzie. I also took a quick break to send in a query for a women’s health site freelance writing job.  Yet another reality check. It doesn’t hurt to try. The only certain way to fail is not to try. I decided to give it a shot. I have no expectations (other than God is in control), but I can live freely knowing I took a step forward in something I love to do. A sad reality check came at the end of this 30 minutes. Makenzie’s favorite show ended…and Barney came on. Is that hideous purple dinosaur still on TV? Oh, heck no!!

Eventually, lunch rolled around. A veritable gold mines of reality checks. Including the following:

• As Heather says, sometimes a Lean Cuisine pizza is necessary.
• Eating such doesn’t mean you can’t have room for fresh produce. Cherries, strawberries, and fresh from the sis-in-law’s garden cucumber slices.
• Garden fresh is better!
• Cherries stain your fingertips purple.
• I just may have to disown my daughter. She HATED the mushroom lover’s veggie burger I gave her.

This veggie burger tops my list. It has so much delicious flavor and mushroom chunks. Mushrooms are on the top of my veggie (fungi?) list and it saddens me she does not feel the same. 

Then she went and did this. Took her consignment clothes I bought her out of the box and laid them out neatly.

So, she is my daughter. Whew. That was a close one!

My final reality check came mid-afternoon. My previous computer setup – chilling on the couch with the laptop – was not ideal. So I made the executive decision to turn one tiny corner of our living room into my “office” now that I have to spend time writing.

So amazing what a good chair and desk tv tray can do for the back! Now onto tonight’s reality check. Will stuffed peppers be as easy to tackle for this culinary fool as I think they are? I sure hope so!

• Do you believe you have the power to make your day the best it can possibly be?
• Where do you do your “computering” (as a friend calls it) from?
• Anything else you got for me…. 

Since it is Sunday and I don’t blog on Saturdays it is time to get caught up with the weekend. How was your weekend? Do anything exciting?

I had a few highlights. First off, I finally decided what to purchase with the $60 certificate CSN stores offered to give me as a thank you for a prior giveaway. I decided after sweeping our first floor and all the dog hair I needed a bare floor vacuum good for pet hair. Not a bedroom vanity. Not a fancy kitchen gadget. A vacuum. I’m not crazy. My back just let me know where to spend the money.

The biggest highlight came Friday night with the Atlanta blogger meet-up! A group of eight of us met up for dinner at Seasons 52.

From left to right – Emily (all the way from Boston!), Laura (previously of Laura Dishes), Lee, Tyler, Sarena, Anna (a cool reader), Em (+ baby), and myself (+ baby).

We had a fabulous time chatting and getting to know each other better. It always amazes me how comfortable I am with other bloggers. I’m not shy by any means but I just feel so in sync with ladies such as these. We ended up spending three hours dining and discussing all sorts of things – from blogging to personal things we’ve experienced. Totally awesome. I just love connecting with bloggers!!!

The food awed me as well. Seasons 52 prides itself on serving seasonal food choices to include the freshest ingredients, with all items on the menu below 475 calories. Niiiice. Especially when you consider you can order things like a huge flatbread with steak, blue cheese, mushrooms, and spinach…

…and then top it all off with the perfect amount of carrot cake decadence in a shot glass.

New friends + great food = made my weekend. I feel as though Saturday doesn’t even deserve an appearance after that. It was pretty standard. I went to the gym for a light 1.5 miles on the elliptical before Power. I am starting to get annoyed with my favorite instructor though. She asks me numerous times during class how I’m doing and always says things like “I’m keeping my eye on you”. All because I’m pregnant. I appreciate her care and understand she is doing her job, but she doesn’t need to persistently point it out during class. I have told her my experience working out while pregnant, how I already adjusted the workout to suit my body & lift lighter weights, and that I know to listen to my body & will not hesitate to stop if needed. Let me do my thing!!

The remainder of Saturday I shopped and organized a baby gift basket to donate from our Sunday school class to a Relay for Life auction. It went much better than I anticipated and I’m sad I forgot to snap a photo of it! Saturday night we watched Alice in Wonderland. I hated it. I normally love anything Johnny Depp is in. This was a total fail.

Today was great. I love every Sunday. What’s not to love? The chance to worship such an amazing, loving, and powerful God makes each Sunday a positive experience. I can never get over the fact that He died for me and how understanding that provides endless joy in my life. Things aren’t always easy, but my life never lacks joy or a sense of abundance. Praising Him never gets old. And now I simply plan to relax with the family before heading back into another week.

• Do you like to make connections with other bloggers? How? I love meeting bloggers and the support of such an endlessly loving and giving community. I like fining new blogs to peek at through Twitter. I also will randomly comment on blogs I don’t typically read by clicking through the comments on blogs I love. I can never get enough of this great blogosphere. The chance to meet in person certainly tops the list though.
• What is something other people do that annoys you, even though you know they mean well?

Examiner Articles: Even if you can’t read through completely, please give a click!! Comments are always welcome. 🙂

Tips on nutrition and getting more produce in your diet HERE.

The benefits of exercise during pregnancy HERE.