All the world's problems could be solved with advice from the Berenstain Bears.

    

    I don't know what the future looks like but I do know that in the past I read a lot of Berenstain Bears books. As a child, my parents read them to me and my siblings. I now have bought almost every single book written by Jan and Stan Berenstain and their equally talented son Mike for my four kids. Their messages are timeless and simple, yet always on point and applicable for the moment. Recently, after reading a few of the books to my kids, it crossed my mind that if the world took to heart the basic examples and lessons demonstrated by the precious family of bears that come from a "sunny dirt road deep in Bear country", the world just might be a better place for all of us. 

    In this post, I would like to break down a handful of these book titles and pull from them the example they teach and how it could impact our world if we all followed suit. 

1. PATIENCE, PLEASE. 

"When is our garden going to sprout?" they asked Mama and Papa. "You have to be patient," said Mama. "Have faith that what you have planted will grow in God's good time." - Taken from The Berenstain Bears Patience, Please by Mike Berenstain. 

This one doesn't need much explanation. We all need patience. We need it with our kids when we find ourselves delivering the forty fifth-glass of water to them prior to bedtime. We need it at work when a fellow co-worker seems to always drop the ball yet seems to get the promotion regardless. We need it with our spouse and our friends when they don't meet our needs. We need it in traffic and we need it to be still. But lately, we need it more than ever. 

Change can be scary. The pandemic has caused us to be super patient waiting for the days to feel normal again. Our government changes and the recent election, no matter what side of the aisle you are on, has demanded a dire need of patience. Hear me out. Things don't always happen overnight. Life happens in the in-between. Don't miss this! Don't forget that between a second ago and the future is the present and it is a gift. Stop anxiously waiting for the perfect time to do the perfect thing. There is never a perfect time. Be patient for your dreams and your goals. Realize that the process is beautiful too. There are lessons to learn and experiences to be had that can be missed when only fixing your eyes on what is ahead. Planning and dreaming are wonderful things to do but only if they don't take away from the path it requires to get to them. It is a path of patience. 

2. BLAZE A TRAIL.

"'Now mark the trail,'" Sister read from the book, "'so others can follow the path you took.'" - Taken from The Berenstain Bears Blaze a Trail by Stan and Jan Berenstain. 

Sometimes the path you see for yourself isn't a path yet taken so it seems scary to set foot upon that path. But oftentimes, others are just waiting for someone else to go first. Maybe that someone is you. Maybe that someone is me. 

Taking a leap of faith, doing something different or blazing a new trail isn't always popular especially in the day and age that we are living in with constant images of what is "in" and what is "out". But new things, places, experiences, dreams don't begin as "in" or as "out" because they are new. And new is amazing. New gives you permission to be authentic. it gives you permission to be first at something. It could be an opinion. A style. A way of thinking. Whatever it is, it will be yours. 

My oldest two kids, Riley and Bailey, were nineteen months apart. The next two kids came about four and half years later and 2 years and nine months apart. Riley and Bailey joke that they were the "trial kids". I would agree to some extent. Todd and I were young and inexperienced as parents. But with the newness of parenting came lots of first for us together. I cherish those firsts. We blazed a trail together and figured out what it was for us to do this thing called parent/child and we made it work our way. When friends couldn't meet us for dinner because their kids had to hit the sack at 8:07pm on the dot, we just took our kids with us. When we wanted to squeeze in a workout, when would take the kids to the playground and make the playground our gym. We knew that we not only had to fit in their lives but they also had to fit in ours.

Moral of the story is that it is ok to do something different. It is ok to challenge the system or go against the popular way, to spark a new trend or to plan a new adventure. You just might inspire someone else to do the same. 

3.THE JOY OF GIVING. GIVE THANKS. 

"You know what the Good Book says," Mama told them. "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

"We know," said Brother. "We receive an awful lot, so it's time we gave some of it back." - Taken from The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving by Jan and Mike Berenstain. 

Have you ever been so excited about a gift you have for someone that keeping it a secret is almost unbearable? You just can't wait to see them open it, receive it and ultimately enjoy it! But have you ever thought about that in regards to Christ? He has given us gift after gift and sometimes we are too busy to notice or too eager to move on to the next thing that we don't take the time to enjoy it. If the person you gave the gift that you were so excited about barely noticed it or acknowledged it, how would it make you feel? Pretty crummy, right? It would seem ungrateful. You would feel let down and disappointed. You would be hurt and probably sad. 

Thinking about this makes us feel pretty upset because we are all guilty of this. We take a long trip to the beach and never think about the fact that the Lord delivered us safely to the destination. Gift. We get to see an old friend, spend time with them and regret when we realize that friendship has been taken for granted. Gift. We get a promotion at work and feel so proud of our hard work to earn it yet forget that God had a bit to do with it too and that somewhere on the other end of that blessing is the person that didn't get the promotion. Gift. 

But the blessings keep coming despite our lack of appreciation for so many of them. The biggest blessing of all being Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection! He gave us grace. And the best part about grace is that we can both receive and give it. It too is a gift. 

So we all need to pay attention to the blessings big and small. We need to be grateful and because of that gratitude we need to pay it all forward. We need to spot those in need. We need to be quiet enough to hear the voice of God urging us to step up and help someone. There is joy in giving. My sweet friend Carol passed away last year of cancer and at her memorial service a friend spoke about her take on accepting help. She looked at it just as Acts 20:35 quotes Jesus stating it, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." So, she thought that by allowing someone to help her, it was ultimately blessing them. What a great way to see it! 

4. COMPUTER TROUBLE.

"Computers have their uses - they're great for work or play. But it's not a good idea just to stare at them all day! - Taken from The Berenstain Bears Computer Trouble by Jan and Mike Berenstain. 

When I was in college we didn't have cell phones, even the flip variety. We would somehow just know where to meet our friends after class without texting or tracking their location. We had no idea if we were missing out on a party or event because it wasn't broadcasted across multiple social media platforms. We might find out a day later but it was basically too late to care. We didn't have the ability to Google anything, ask Siri anything or even rely on Alexa. And, get this, we survived. 

 

On the flip side, we didn't have the benefits of all the fun pictures, instant access to anything we want to see or learn about or the ability to find our friends the minute we needed them. We didn't have Google to help with homework, Snapchat to make our faces look like a dog or without a blemish, or even a calculator attached to us at all times for instant help with math. Some of these things are fun and super helpful. 

But one thing that I can say is that we were blissfully unaware at times. When you don't have access to every piece of news, slice of information and instant update, you don't worry about as much. You live with your eyes looking up at the world, not down at someone else's world condensed to a small screen. There was a bit more connection in a world that was technically less connected. 

I am not bashing the internet. I love it! I love finding new recipes on Pinterest. I love Instagram both as a consumer and contributor. I enjoy apps such as Words with Friends. But I know that I feel yucky when I know I have had too much screen time. And I have to remind myself that not everything I read on the internet is true. Recently, I added a timer on my phone only allotting so much time to screen time. It is definitely a positive move and I would encourage you to consider it also. We get one life. Do you want to live yours out or on a screen? 

5. SHOW SOME RESPECT. THAT'S SO RUDE. 

"But Mama!" Protested Sister. "It's a really rotten day and I felt grumpy and -"

"That's no excuse," said Mama. "It's easy to be pleasant and have good manners when the sun is shining and everything is going well. The challenge is to be polite and pleasant to everyone when things are going badly." - Taken from The Berenstain Bears That's So Rude by Mike Berenstain. 

This year, I have noticed that manners and respect have been endangered. There have been a lot of political debates, social and environmental challenges and, the icing on the cake, a worldwide pandemic. Couple these things with the open forum of the internet and you have a perfect storm. It seems like a lot of people think that because it is typed it doesn't have to be kind. Respect for the opinion of others and simply being openminded seem to be things of the past. But it doesn't have to be that way. Just because someone believes something you don't or because they agree with a different outlook doesn't mean that they are a terrible person and deserve ridicule for all to see.

My mom used to say that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I would have to agree. That doesn't mean you can't be honest in a kind way. Honesty doesn't have to be rude. For example, here are two ways of being truthful. 

Friend: "Do these jeans make me look fat?"

Honest (but rude) answer: "Yes."

Friend: "Do these jeans make me look fat?"

Honest (but kind) answer: "I think that another pair would flatter you more."

See the difference? Maybe if we just checked ourselves prior to commenting on somebody's post or jumping in on someone's argument, we could have a world of discussion versus a world of division. Next time you begin to want to jump in on a heated debate, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Will I be reflecting Christ in how I comment?

2. Will I offer value in what I am saying?

3. Is this about my pride or my positive contribution? 

I want to finish this section with one more note. Saying things with kindness also often sinks in more. When you are rude or hateful or come across judgmental or without regard for someone else's opinion, your credibility will suffer. Say what you have to say if you truly feel the need and then show some respect and also LISTEN. 

6. LEARN ABOUT STRANGERS.

"But in some important ways they were different." - Taken from The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers. 

This book mostly discusses the need to be careful with strangers in hopes to protect kids from danger. And there are lessons to learn there for people of all ages, but I want to talk about strangers a bit differently. 

Our country is a melting pot. There are people from all over the world that have come to the states to call it home. There are people from many walks of life, financial background, age, skin color, height, weight, mindset, intelligence, etc. There are people that look different, act different, have different physical and mental strengths and weaknesses than us. They can all feel like strangers. But do you remember when you first started kindergarten and you didn't know anyone and it was so exciting? You were thrust into a room with lots of kids from different lives and you were swimming in strangers. But guess what? You had things in common too. But you didn't know that until you took the time to get to know them. Suddenly, they were no longer strangers because they became friends. 

I am not foolish to think that every stranger we meet will become a friend. And I also know that it isn't as easy now to become friends with a new person as it was when you were sitting with them all day in a classroom sharing paint and crayons. But I do think that opening your mind to people that are different is what makes your world colorful. 

7. THE BLAME GAME. 

"Of course, there are times," said Papa, "when someone really is to blame for something. But most of the time, it's important to remember there's usually enough blame to go around." - Taken from The Berenstain Bears and the Blame Game by Stan and Jan Berenstain. 

It is hard to be hurt. It is difficult when things don't go our way or when we don't get what we want. Marriages fail. Accidents happen. Bad decisions are made. Mistakes occur. Friendships fall apart. And when these things happen, it is easier on our hearts to look to someone or something else and blame them on it so that we don't have to look internally and see our own shortcomings. 

Blame allows us to look out instead of in. When we look in we have to get real and real makes us vulnerable. But I believe that vulnerability breeds true authentic friendships and relationships. When we can fail and say we are sorry, we open up the idea to the other person that they have that luxury too. They realize, as do we, that we don't have to be perfect to be in that relationship. We both just have to be honest with one another. 

Trying to be perfect and even striving to be perfect is a lost cause. There was one, and there will always solely be, one perfect person that ever walked the face of this earth and His name is Jesus. Striving to be like Him is wonderful but thinking that we can be perfect, not so much. What we need to strive to be is full of grace. For ourselves and for others. And when we get hurt, we have to be open to receive the apology made by another and give forgiveness. But what is even more difficult than that is to give grace when the other person isn't sorry. The do not have to earn your grace. We didn't earn it from Jesus, did we? He freely gave it. I encourage you, stop the blame game and start living with the grace that was gifted to you. It will be freeing!

8. THE GOLDEN RULE. SAY THEIR PRAYERS. 

Do to others what you would have them do to you. - Matthew 7:12

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. - Matthew 7:7

Of all the books I have mentioned, these two are the two that I feel the most strongly about and want to finish with a few thoughts about them. Neither require much discussion because they are both so simple yet so vital for our country, our world, our families, our churches, our workplaces, our schools and our humanity. 

Treat others as you would want to be treated. It is simple. If you and I would keep this as the guideline to all we say, type, screenshot, share and tweet, it would be a game changer. 

Pray. Above all else, we have a direct line to Jesus and it is by prayer. We need to pray. Pray little. Nothing is little to God. Pray big. He can answer big prayers. And pray huge. Nothing is bigger than our God. 

CONCLUSION. 

We may not live in Bear Country and our problems may be bigger than Mama, Papa, Sister and Brother Bear, but I have an inkling that they were on to something. Patience, bravery, gratitude, giving, self-control, respect, kindness, open-mindedness and a humble spirit are all very connected to what the Bible calls the Fruits of the Spirit. Wouldn't the world be a lot sweeter if we all worked to have more of that kind of fruit? 

P.S. Thank you to Jan, Stan and Mike Berenstain for writing incredible books for children that provide wonderful lessons to us all. 

SENIORITIS20 : The Nationwide Epidemic

SENIORITIS20: A Nationwide Epidemic

     SENIORITIS. The Oxford Dictionary defines this word as "a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance". That definition may become vintage after the Coronavirus Pandemic. The class of 2020, now often referred to as the Class of COVID19, is suffering from a new strain of Senioritis: Senioritis20. 
     Where the old symptoms of Senioritis were things such as low motivation to attend class, loss of appetite for math and english, intermittent daydreaming and things of that nature, the new Senioritis20 symptoms are much more serious. I will define some of the most obvious symptoms here so that you can be attentive, ready and able to diagnose this condition in a loved one, friend or family member. I will also give some helpful hints as to how to best ward off this disease while we anxiously await the cure. 

     In no particular order and not limited to, here are some of the most common symptoms of Senioritis20:

1. A STRONG DESIRE TO ATTEND SCHOOL. This can be a bit alarming depending on the person that develops this symptom. Often times, the patient is even taken aback by this desire after years of hard fought "sick" days, spring, winter and summer break countdowns and even daily complaining about the need to attend said school. This symptom is often caused by the sad realization that sometimes love and hate can coincide and that maybe Mrs.Woolsey and her ripped panty hose, body odor and constant sniffles wasn't really all that bad first thing every morning in A block. 

2. NOSTAGLIA.  It isn't unusual for a patient to want to walk down memory lane. Even if you know that the actual event wasn't as sweet as the revisited recap, walk the road with them. They are spending the last weeks of their senior year basically alone in quarantine. They could use some company. If you are older and it's been a hot minute since you yourself graduated or if you didn't necessarily love your high school experience, it may be hard to comprehend why this period of time is so sad for the patient. It may seem petty or silly to you when you are up at night worried about your tanking 401k, your job or lack-there-of, or simply paying the bills, but to them this is a time that they will never get back. Thirteen years of schooling has brought them to Graduation: a Rite of Passage! They have made it through mid-terms and finals, athletic wins and losses, personal events, bullying and Saturday morning detentions, sad times and happy times. They have, in a lot of cases, spent more time walking the halls of their school on a given day than in their home. Even though they were anticipating change due to graduation, they were not anticipating change that would cancel the very things that have been looking forward to all year. There isn't as much excitement to the icing when you can't share the cake with the ones who baked it with you. 

3. ANGER. Who can blame them? They are mad. This disease sucks, has no current cure and who really wants to have a drive-in graduation or graduation parade? Sure, these solutions are a good salve to the wound but they are just covering the gaping hole of pain that only flipping a tassel in person could remedy. 

4. LACK OF CLOSURE.  Don't romanticize this one folks. Sure, some patients are upset about not seeing their best friends again in the halls of school or having one last lunch table gab session. But these aren't the people that the patient truly needs the closure and will forever have to accept not obtaining. Well, then what kind of closure do they need? I will give you a few examples:
    
     1. The quiet kid in class that has tried for four years to work up enough courage to ask the popular girl out on a date and was "this close" to doing so. Cornona 1 - Quiet kid 0
     2. The kid that sat the bench all year and couldn't wait to get one more chance to prove himself to the coach. Corona 2 - Athlete 0 
     3. The teacher who has been working all year with a student they believe in and truly feels they are almost to where they fully grasp a concept. Corona 3 - Teacher 0
     4. The kid that has problems at home and was about to work up the nerve to tell the counselor and seek help. Corona 4 - Kid who needs help 0 
     5. The kid that worked so hard to climb the ranks of student council to become president and has looked forward to giving the speech at graduation. Corona 5 - StuCo president 0

     See what I mean? Things were happening. Kids are grieving the what-ifs! 

5. FEAR. This symptom of Senioritis20 can be one of the most severe and it can be crippling. Fear is also known to cause night sweats, mood swings, tears and even diarrhea. I have heard it said that all emotions come from two places: love and fear. Well, my friends, fear isn't always presented in the prettiest manner and can often come out disguised as a snippy attitude, grumpiness, sleepiness and even extreme sadness. 
     High school was a cocoon. A safe haven. Even if it was often used as a derogatory term, school was actually cool. Everybody was doin' it! The teachers, even the ones often complained about, were familiar. The walls and halls of the building were like home. They were covered in artwork, school event posters, science projects, photography and other things that were proof of life in the place that housed the dreaded classes and exams and anticipated pep-rallies and games. Being told that the patient cannot return "home" is unsettling. It is scary. They find themselves in a limbo between childhood and independence, vaguely divided by a sort-of abyss rather than the originally planned graduation ceremony with physical passing of the diploma and tossing of the hat. The seniors now sit alone in their rooms in front of a screen all day that was otherwise constantly something they were told to "stop staring at". Their work is electronic, their correspondence difficult and synthetic seeming and their tests aren't even truly tests because they have access to the answers right behind them on their bed or nightstand. Their world is no longer familiar. The patient longs for the past, albeit one they could not wait to move on from in anticipation of college, because it is a warm blanket compared to the uncertainty that lies ahead. Couple this will a worldwide pandemic that is killing thousands and you have fear. 

6. OVERPOSTING. The only treatment for this symptom is grace. Good ole fashioned, bite-your-tongue-and-don't-unfollow grace. Even if you see the patient post the same nostalgic Junior Prom photo forty five times on Instagram, click the LIKE button! Give them the support that you are able to give with one touch of your finger. Not THE finger. I know that seeing Mary run around town in her soon-to-be-unused graduation gown and cap shooting pictures in her old stomping grounds will be cute the first time, but once Mary's friends see what Mary is doing the whole town's worth of seniors will be doing the same. Like them anyway. And add a heart emoji for good measure. 

7. DEFEAT. Be on the lookout for this symptom. It is the last one I will mention and likely the most concerning. If you notice your patient to seem unsurprised when another event is cancelled, take note.  If they begin to talk about taking a gap year next year, already anticipating the cancellation of college in the fall, take note. If their facial expression doesn't change at all when discussing alternate graduation ideas and potential ways to make it special or how to celebrate even if a party isn't going to happen due to social distancing, be alarmed. They haven't worked this hard to quit now! The antidote is creativity! Help them dig deep. In a world where there isn't as much as usual to look forward to, make something! Remind them that maybe they aren't going to get the graduation that everyone else got to have but maybe, just maybe, they will get the graduation that everyone remembers! Different isn't always bad. The class that was born into the chaos of 9/11 wasn't meant to be defeated. They were meant to be trailblazers, challenged by change and eager to make the world a better place!

So now what? We have diagnosed our patients and we have some advice on how to manage them. But is it really enough to manage their cases? I don't know about you but I want a cure to this Senioritis20 epidemic! I want the long term side-effects of the disease to forever remind them of what they beat. I want them to see the strong desire to attend school as a reminder that they are blessed to have had a place where they had the freedom to learn and grow. I want their nostalgia to always be a part of them so that they don't take things for granted in life knowing that at any time and without warning, they can be taken. I want their anger to be channeled into drive and determination to find a way to make the best of the situation which will further educate them on one of life's greatest lessons. Like Nicolas Evans said,  "Life isn't about what happens to you, it's about how you handle what happens". I want the scars of the lack of closure to always remind them to not wait for a perfect time to do something because the perfect time is often the present. I want them to learn to react more from love than fear because love comes from God. He is the giver of all things good. Regarding of the over-posting, I want them to look back one day and see those memories and all the "LIKES" and be reminded of the community, family and friend group that surrounded them with grace and love at a really tough time in their life and be driven to return the favor. Where defeat is concerned, I am not worried about that. This group of Seniors has grown up learning from some of the most dedicated, selfless, giving people the world has ever seen. From the first responders at Ground Zero in 2011 to the current ICU units filled with exhausted doctors and nurses all across our nation to the brave soldiers continuing to fight for our freedom, these kids have been taught by a lifelong example that defeat isn't an option. 

So if Senioritis was defined in the Oxford Dictionary as a "decline in motivation of performance", I can only imagine Seniorits20 will be added before we know it under the antonym for Seniortis as "a strong increase in productivity, positivity and gratitude" due to the realization that life isn't about the moments that we mourn but the moments that we seize.

Cheers to the Class of 2020! 

Dedicated to my Senior!

Intentional and Organized in 2016

My second goal for 2016 is to get more organized and intentional with my time. Between working real estate full time at Semonin, owning Crossfit Fixation, raising four kids between the ages of 6-15, caring for a horse, a dog, and a husband I am pretty stretched thin! I operate best with a full schedule and a lot on my plate...hench the name of my blog and what has become our family "brand"! My life is organized chaos. But I know I have room for improvement and this year I intend to be intentional about that. Here are a few ways I plan to get it together...

DINNERS:

Weeks when I meal plan for at least three days out I feel a lot more relaxed. The end of the day scramble to decide what I am going to make for dinner that is healthy AND quick isn't fun. I want to get back to meal planning and cut back on my trips to the grocery. Also, the grocery bill will drop when I am not running into Kroger or Fresh Market on impulse.  

LAUNDRY:

Ugh. Literally three loads of laundry a day is what I have to complete to actually stay on top of the laundry in my house! My oldest two daughters help with the laundry and my husband is laundry king but I am sporadic! When we built our home I made the laundry room large and fun so that I would WANT to do laundry...

MY OFFICE:

It stresses me out to think about it! I work a lot from home and I am certain that I work better with an organized workplace! This Christmas, my office became the catch-all for every catalog that came along that I didn't have a chance to glance through and every piece of artwork made at school! My dad (being the jokester that he is) left me a note after visiting with a "to-do" list. I put this picture on my Instagram with his note and a picture of my office in its current state making fun of my own mess...

But it should really look more like this pending I follow my own advice and get more organized...

PSYCH...

Of course I don't have  a picture of a clean office. That would mean it would have to have ever been in complete order...

TIME:

Something that I have been reading about and paying a lot of attention to is time. Last year I started a book club with a small group of women. We chose faith based books that focused on areas of our lives that needed improvement. One of the books we chose was THE BEST YES by Lysa Terkeurst. It talked about the importance of saying YES to things that really make sense in your life and not answering yes to everything to avoid conflict, appease people, etc. Lysa says to choose wisely what you do with your time so that you can have time for the things that really matter like family and quiet time. Sounds easy, right? Not so much! Especially with class room obligations at the kids schools, work demands, friends and their invites, volunteer options, etc. She reminded me that I shouldn't say MAYBE rather answer definitively if I know in my gut that I probably don't have time or even want to do whatever it is I have been asked. Lasty, she drove home the point that I don't have to explain myself. As the old saying goes..." No means No". 

         I highly recommend Lysa TerKeurst's book THE BEST YES

So, my goal this year is to just be intentional and organized. To think before I agree to something. To decide if it works for my family. To decide if agreeing to some obligation will make me stressed out and stretched and eventually effect the positivity of my home. To get organized so that things run more smoothly at work and at home and so we have more room for FUN! 

I could list a million more places in my life where I could implement intentionally and organization! I hop emu few examples will inspire some of you to do the same!   XOXO - Kelly

                                                            www.tyme-is-honey.com

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Be More Present in 2016

My number one goal for 2016 is to be more present. I need to improve on being 100% committed to whatever I am doing at the moment I am doing it. I catch myself responding to texts while talking to my kids. I don't want to be the mom that halfway listens. That spends too much time behind a screen and not enough time in front of real people...especially little people that God has trusted me to raise! The moments are fleeting. They are precious. I need to prioritize and strategize to make each minute count.

One thing that really sticks out in my mind is the trip that my husband Todd and I went on about a year and a half ago. We traveled with a handful of members from our church along with a member of World Vision (www.worldvision.com) to Ethiopia. The trip was amazing and eye-opening and life-changing. We loved on the people of Abaya, a large village about 2 hours from Addis Ababa. We shared God's love and had a blast doing it. I remember so much about that trip. I remember the smell of the red clay. I remember specific faces of kids and their ripped clothes. I remember the songs that they sang and the scent of the school rooms that took your breath away. It occurred to me recently that I remember so much about that trip because I was UNPLUGGED. There was no WiFi. There was no cell service. I was PRESENT. I was in the moment soaking in the experience. I felt feelings fully and carry with me the memories of that amazing adventure and will forever.

I want to EXPERIENCE like that all the time. The smell of my kids after a warm bath. Their laughter in the halls. Their sweet voices and quiet whispers. Those things matter. I tell my older kids all the time that they should live life and not spend too much time watching other people live on Instagram, Facebook, Visco, etc. I need to take heed.

Below is a video that I put together of some of the bazillion pictures I took in Ethiopia. Take a look! I think it might inspire you too!

Another slideshow by Smilebox

GOAL SETTING

Resolutions and I don't really get along. I think it is something about the pressure of them. The commitment maybe. But GOALS, goals are something I set. I like the challenge of meeting them, the organization of watching myself reach the stepping stones along the way to completing them, and ultimately the feeling of success when achieving them. So, I have decided to publicly declare my personal goals for 2016.... (insert drumroll please)...

GOALS: (in no particular order...)
#1. To be more present.
#2. To be more intentional and organized.
#3. To be in the best shape of my life when I turn the big 4-0 on November 12, 2016!
#4. To read a book a month.
#5. To read the ENTIRE Bible. Including Leviticus...
#6. To blog more. Even if nobody ever reads it but me. It helps me document my crazy life. .
#7. To meet my real estate goals...
           - Implement new marketing strategies
           - Meet my sales goal  (I will keep that one to myself!)
           - Work towards saving, planning and finding my first flip house.
#8. Make time for date nights with Todd :)
#9. Make more time for friends.
#10. Start writing the book I have been putting off starting.

That is it. Ten goals. Over the next few days I will unpack in separate blog posts why I want to aim to achieve these goals. It is important for me to remember why I set them...especially months down the road when I begin to lose stride!

XOXO - Kelly

Back to Bloggin'!

Ok. I am a slacker. I have not blogged in ions and I am so flattered that people have commented that they miss my posts! So...I am back to bloggin' folks!

What better way to start the new year (well, kind of new) than to list what I am looking forward to this year...

1. Summer. Point blank, winter is the pits.

2. My cousin Andy's wedding to his girlfriend Alexa! This is exciting for multiple reasons, but especially because I have not seen the Hogan side of my family since my Grandma passed away in 2006! Way too long! Also, this will be a couples trip for me and T! Gotta love that! :)

3. Running again! I have missed training for something since I last trained for the Augusta half-ironman in 2010! After I completed that race, I took up Crossfit and although I love it, I have missed the thrill of a race. So, Rock and Roll...here I come!

4. Paleo. Todd and I have adapted a mostly Paleo way of eating. In a nutshell, we are eating mostly what the hunter-gatherers ate. Veggies and meats, fish, nuts (no legumes, so no peanuts!) and fruits...basically, if a caveman ate it, so can we! We both feel fantastic and are enjoying the adventure of learning to cook for the paleo palat!

5. Family vacation. Don't have it planned, but still looking forward to it!

6. A changing real estate market. My year is on track to be the BEST one yet from a business standpoint! YAY!

The list goes on and on, but really, I just look forward to everyday with my family that God gives me. If I have learned anything over the last few years, it is that every situation God places in our path can be an instrument of beauty and growth. It also can bring us closer to Him...if we allow it. I have a new awareness that this life is out of my control. Everyday is a surprise. Every day is a gift. Enjoy!

As for pics...here are a few from the months I was a slacker...

 

 

Ok, so not the most timely photos...halloween era...but pics nonetheless! :)
Til' next time!

Out with the OLD, In with the New!!! :)

 

This picture basically says it all!

2012 was a fun and fabulous year! It started with a great New Years Eve party at the home we were renting. Many laughs were had by all! We then proceeded to move into our home, drop our boxes and then literally turn around and leave! I won a cruise through work, so Todd and I left the munchkins at my parents and spent five wonderful and romantic days in the sun! Derby weekend rolled around quickly! We threw a huge bash at the house for friends and family Oaks night and woke up and partied some more at the Derby. (See May 2012 post) Summer was spent enjoying the peace that comes with living in the country! Riley and Bailey spent a week with Todd's parents and a week at Flipfest camp. Longest amount of time I have spent without them by far! Missed them, but knew they were in good hands! We enoyed a vacation to WaterSound in South Walton Beach as a family ending the summer bronzed and rested. As anyone with four little kids knows, school starts with a bang and then you blink your eyes and it is Christmas break! That is how fast it seems that this first half of the school year has flown by! Christmas was Norman Rockwell-ish (cheesy but true). Following the tragedy that was the devastation in Newton, CT, I found myself again reminded of God's goodness and his blessings and really trying to emrace my children more then ever. That desire to slow down and soak in the moments was hindered a bit by the fact that I was sooo behind ("I have never been this far behind!" came out of my mouth more than once reminding me that I am absolutley my mother's daughter) forcing me to show up until Christmas Eve! Ugh! Regardless...Christmas beautiful and I do believe that Christ was the center of the season. That brings us to New Years!!! 2013 is HERE!!! Which brings me to the whole point of this post...OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW. What do I mean by that? I don't do resolutions, but I do reevaluate my life and goals and try to see where I can improve. OUT goes over committing myself, IN comes saying YES to things that are top priority. OUT goes disorganization, IN comes a system (I am not talking anything rigid...let's get real folks, we are talking about ME here!). OUT goes fly by the seat of my pants dinners, IN comes planned weekly meals. You see my point :) I feel like life is so good right now. I am blessed with a husband that I am closer and more in love with than ever, four fantastic kids that are all thriving, healthy and lovely, 3 four-legged critters that bring me so many smiles, a job that is fun and motivating from which I have made many new friends this year, the best friends I could ever ask for, a wonderful family, an amazing new home...I could go on for a long time. But most of all, God has given me hope and peace in my heart this year. Without his grace, I could not have those things. Without Him I am nothing!! Can't wait to see what His plan is for 2013!!! :)

Anyone Looking For A Horse Farm? :)

As a realtor, I am always excited when I have a new listing! It is always a challenge and an adventure at the same time! I am EXTREMELY excited about my newest listing. It is a turn-key 15 acre horse farm in fantastic condition in the heart of Kentucky horse country! Interested in a horse farm? Contact me at khostutler@semonin.com or 502-426-4577 (Kelly Hostutler/ Semonin Realtors)

I'll Have Another...I think he will!

I'll Have Another...I think he will!

I am a horse person. I do NOT consider myself an expert by any stretch, but have spent the last 26 years involved with horses. I started riding hunters at age 9 and continued to ride competitively through college. To gain experience, I would hop on anything that needed to be worked, from a polo pony to a hunt horse. I love them all. I rode for the University of Kentucky's Equestrian Team and had a ball. All through school at UK, I worked for Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital (www.roodandriddle.com) as a tech and supervisor and had the luxury of taking care of some horses that I could NEVER imagine I would have even been able to touch! I did everything from help with foaling to nursing dummy foals to surgery help to assisting in a fetonomy. After college, I worked as a copywriter for Saybrook Advertising in Lexington. Saybrook mostly does advertising for the racing industry, so my ads mostly ran in The Thoroughbred Times and Bloodhorse. I learned alot about bloodlines and confirmation. It was a great job! But...it does qualify me to have a slightly informed opinion about racing. And...if I am right, I'll Have Another will win the Belmont Stakes and take the Triple Crown next weekend! I can just feel it...! And if not, well, he is still a great horse and deserves many kudos for a fantastic year! Pray for a safe trip first, and a TRIPLE CROWN winner second! GO I'LL HAVE ANOTHER...I think you will!

(Photo courtesy of www.horseracingnation.com)

New Shoes

This morning I was thinking about how I could use a new pair of running shoes. I have been logging some miles, and my old ones are getting a little worn. Something like this was what I was imagining...

 Until God put this picture in front of my face later today, and I realized that I truly don't need anything...but Him. God Bless.

**Photos courtesy of Nike and Pinterest

Job Well Done Nora, Job Well Done.

May 13, 2012: Mother's Day

I do not believe that it is by coincidence that God called my Grandma, Nora Deutschmann, home today on Mother's Day. I believe that it was his way of saying to her, "Job well done Nora, job well done!" She is and always be a shining example of what a mother is to me and to many that know her. All the fruits of the spirit she not only held but showed everyday: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Self-Control. It must have taken these nine characteristics to carry 14 babies and raise them all to not only know Christ but to be loving and good people.

 She brought joy to anyone that came in contact with her and she would light up when children were around...especially any of the almost 74 grandchildren (including the great-grands).

 Just look at the famous baby pictures of the 14 kids that have always hung on their wall! I cannot imagine cooking for and cleaning after them all!

 73 years of marriage! My prayers go out to my grandpa who will be undoubtably lost without his best friend. They are an inspiration in a generation where this kind of commitment to "believing in forever" is not the norm.

 Just a glimpse of the legacy that Grandma leaves behind....

And a beautiful reminder of the great love that is the foundation for it all.

I love you Grandma! I am a better person and mother because of your example! You will be greatly missed, but I know that your eyes are fixed on your Maker today, and you could not be happier! Happy Mother's Day!

Kentucky Derby Weekend Fun 2012

Kentucky Derby 2012

Hey ya'll! Remember me? I haven't written a post in FOREVER, so I thought Derby weekend would be a fun re-entry into the blogging world! I have been knee-deep in boxes and contractors running in and out, not to mention real estate is CRAZY again! All good and busy things that have kept me from updating my blog! (And the fact that in the country the internet isn't the greatest, so posting while Todd is doing his patient notes isn't possible due the fact that it is slower than molasses with two users! But...not a bad tradeoff for peace and quiet and roosters in the morning.)

Derby weekend consisted of 9 house guests...friends new and old. It was great fun and I truly enjoyed getting to know some new people. Friday we held an Oaks Party for about 50 friends and family, and then Saturday we had 3 boxes together at Churchill where 18 of us gathered to lose money and enjoy each other's company! I'll Have Another brought home the victory to a record crowd! Fantastic Day! Here are some pics...

Julie and I getting ready for Derby

                                                          Jeff and Katie Norris

                                                       Todd's parents Joann and Danny

                                                       My friend Jeff Buchek and I

                                                        Catey and Julie

                                                         Todd and I (top and bottom)

                                                   (don't know how I posted this pic twice...sorry)

                                                 At the track...

                                               Hats Hats Hats!!!!

                                                Doesn't my hubby look cute in his hat?

                                               The pretzel was short lived after I found a hair on it. Gulp.

                                            OAKS SHINDIG at the house!

                                              Steve and Allison...new friends! So sweet!

                        Hey! Steve and Allison again...still sweet...(I am notorious for double posting pics)

                                           Katie and Jeff....love them!

                                                Bob and Shawn...aren't they cute?

                                                Joann Jessie and Erin Hogan (my sis!)

                                     Stephanie Hilner, Nicole Burke and I (the short one)

                                                     Michelle and Jonathan Ray (they are darling)

                                     The most adorable picture of Joanie and Mount

                                                 My oldest daughter and my sis!

                                                        Sisters!

                                                My cute parents! Marilyn and Richard Hogan

                                       Jessica and Jesse Hedden...great pictre of this sweet couple

                                           Michelle, Catey and Julie (aren't they beautiful!?)