3 Things

I so stink at blogging but there are three things that are rocking my world right now that I simply want to share with the world!  I keep thinking that I have to tell someone these little bits that are making my little corner of the earth brighter, and it just hit me that, “Duh, you have a blog, perhaps you could use it!”  Brilliant, I am. <read with a large dose of sarcasm>

The first on the list is really the impetus for this post and you’ll see why in just a minute.

#1- All things Jamie Ivey.

To say that I am obsessed with Jamie Ivey would be a complete understatement.  She’s my new BFF (if only she knew), and though I’m sorry to bump some of my dearest peeps off of that platform, once you check her out, I’m sure you’ll find yourself in the same predicament.

I was “introduced” to  Jamie when she helped Jen Hatmaker host her online book club for “For The Love” a couple of months ago and instantly fell head over heels for her.  She blogs at the link above and has a weekly podcast called The Happy Hour that is truly my latest obsession.  Cannot.get.enough.

I have never been a big podcast listener, but I’ve been able to incorporate catching up on it while getting some exercise so it’s been a win-win for me. Each week she sits and chats with a friend about completely random life topics ranging from raising kids, adoption, jewelry, tv shows, music, etc.  It’s like sitting down with a couple of girl friends for coffee and considering I don’t do nearly enough of that, listening to them chit chat completely fills the void.

I feel like each time I listen, I hear something that motivates and inspires me! LOVE>IT!

This week’s episode is no different.  It’s a special Christmas episode, where she and Jen Hatmaker discuss 21 small, ethically inclined businesses to shop from this Christmas.  From children’s placemats, teacher gifts and stuff for the “oh-so-hard-to-shop-for-man”, they highlight online stores that produce for a purpose.   I now can’t wait to finish knocking out my Christmas shopping!

For those of you in the trenches of motherhood, I seriously think you’ll find a great deal of refreshment from her!I highly suggest (read that <implore>) you to check Jamie out and let me know what you think.

Oh, and one of my favorite things about the podcast is that at the end of each show, she asks her guests “3 Things” they are totally into at the moment . . . thus . . . this post!

#2: C12

When Jeff and I started Beverage Truck Pros a couple of years ago, we (read I) was completely clueless when it came to running a business.  While Jeff knows the industry inside out, he was a sales guy and had minimal management experience.  My career in the non-profit world, though great in many ways, had not prepared me for running a small business, but when God told us to jump ship, we did.

He has provided for our shortcomings in business ownership in a variety of ways, but the greatest blessing of all has been our affiliation with C12, a Christian CEO Roundtable Group.

We each attend separate, day-long, meetings each month.  Jeff is in the CEO group and I’m in a Key Players group.  We spend our time in our meetings making our businesses better by identifying blindspots, focusing on areas we can sharpen, and working on incorporating Jesus into our roles as business owners.  I realize that last bit might sound weird, but for us, it’s His business, and we are so grateful to C12 for giving us a framework to help us see beyond ourselves, and enabling us to operate for a higher purpose than our own desires.

I share about C12 knowing that you likely aren’t a business owner, but I think it’s safe to say that you know people who are, and they need to know about C12!  So give them a call or shoot them this little blurb about it in an email.  Christian marketplace resources are rare, and C12 is the best of the best.  We have been so blessed by it and want everyone to know about it!

Oh, and the friendships we have made from our groups. . . priceless!

#3- My Fitness Pal

Ok, so I feel silly sharing this one, as it’s so 2009 and I’m fairly certain that anyone leading an active lifestyle in today’s app centric world knows about it, but I have a new  found appreciation for it over the last few months and need to share because I just feel like someone could use the tip. So there.

Over Spring Break this past year,  my (real) BFF, mentioned that she’d recently dropped a few pounds using the calorie counter in the app.  I immediately thought, “pshaw, I am so not a calorie counter” and dismissed it. A few weeks later though, after feeling my waistline expanding once again, I decided to give it a shot.

It’s just a phone app that serves as a food and exercise log, but it gives you a calorie limit to help you reach your goal weight, and then provides a platform for managing your calorie intake and output, right there on your phone. Couldn’t be easier.

What I LOVE about it is that it simply keeps me mindful of my choices.  I eat all the foods I want, including Cheezits and Queso.  I have yet to feel deprived of things I want to eat and it’s working for me. . . at the moment anyway.

It’s not so much about a huge weight loss goal for me at this point, I just wanting my clothes to fit better, so when I fall off the MFP wagon, and things start to feel a little tight, I can easily jump back on without really feeling like I’m going on a diet.  It’s more like, “I’m just going to do this for a week or two until my clothes are fitting better again“.  If I’m going to a party, or out to dinner, I make sure I get in some exercise to allow for some extra calories.  It’s just managing intake and output, and for whatever reason, it’s seeming totally doable for where my life is at the moment.

Going into the holiday season, I think it’s a great resource for us all to keep things in check. And if you’re not a smart phone user, you can click on the link above and use their online platform. It’s so easy.  Really.

Oh, there is a fourth thing, so let’s just consider it a bonus!

BONUS!!

A few weeks ago, I was sick as a dog, so Jeff went to the grocery store and while he was there found the holy grail of food items for me.  I frequent this brand so often, that I just grab and go from the shelf and would never have spotted this new variety had he not been surveying the options.  I was nearly in tears when he arrived back at the house, and showed me what he had found. Cue the Hallejulah Chorus.

Ladies and gentleman, I give you Extra Toasty CheezIts!!!!!

You guys, I have been toasting CheezIts FOR YEARS!!!! YEARS!!!

I mean, as ridiculous as it sounds, these have changed my life and I am so, so, so grateful for my man, who makes all my dreams come true, for bringing these into my life!

So that’s it folks.  My 3 current favorite obsessions, well 4, to share.   I love hearing about other peoples, so if you have any please let me know in the comments below what is rocking your world!!