Feels Like Fall

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Time is flying by faster than I could have ever imagined, and honestly, it is upsetting me!  I miss the days when life was so simple, stresses so few, and down time so much more common.  Now everything seems so complicated, stressful, and non-stopping.  Here it is the 5th of December, and I am just now finding time to update these posts and review what I've done the past few months.  They went by so quickly, I feel like I didn't even get to enjoy the experiences.  I was constantly rushing from one thing to the next.

However, I live for this time of year and find so much joy in all that goes on!  I have just had to miss out on some things that I used to really enjoy around the holidays, simple things, but things that still made me happy.  But I won't let a busy schedule keep me from enjoying life!  I have realized how short it truly is and that there is so much more to enjoy than to let the unimportant stresses take away from the life that Christ has SO GRACIOUSLY given me.  I truly am blessed with a wonderful life, and I need to take more time to soak it in and appreciate it.  The petty things I view as problems, may be appreciated by others who are less fortunate.

My Build-a-bears and other stuffed animals, along with my bedroom decorations, always get changed with the seasons.  I used to have somewhere from 10-13 build-a-bears and at least that many Webkinz, but sadly, I got rid of all of them but one, my moose, several years ago.  I also had more accessories and holiday outfits, so now I am even more sad that I didn't keep more of them!  I have accumulated some new ones, though, and they are very special to me!  (Even though that sounds childish for a 17-year-old, I am not ashamed!)

 

This tree in our front yard always has such pretty leaves, but they disappear fast, so I have to get a picture of them or playing in the early in the season.  The brightest red trees are my favorite!

 

Another thing about fall that I love is the emergence of everything pumpkin!  Not only the tastes, but just the mere smell of pumpkin makes me so happy!  Bath & Body Works scents are #1 on my list.  This year I couldn't even count all the pumpkin scent variations.  They even made one that was a combination of two of my favorites:  Pumpkin Marshamallow!  While I was going to find the link to that lotion's page, I was surprised to see a candle I hadn't seen, (but would love to own!) vanilla pumpkin marshmallow.

That same afternoon I also got my Build-a-bear mooses/meese/whatever-you-call-thems that were in Halloween attire out in the leaves for pictures, too.

My socks, phone wallpaper, and Tervis were coordinating!

Another new pair of Halloween socks from my birthday

Snoopy and candy corn?  Yes!

Driving down Sulphur Springs Road from the highway to school, I have seen people literally pull over to look at this house.  The picture doesn't show detail, but they have spent who knows how much money on decorations for Halloween and Christmas.  It is one of a kind!

This candle isn't Bath and Body, but Glade.  Mom and I have found that Glade seasonal scents from Walmart are pretty great, too!

There are certain comics that I really like to look at, but I especially try to look through them near holidays.  Not only are there more funny ones and ones that I can relate to, but some are also very meaningful, too!

This one has nothing to do with the fall, but it makes so much sense with my family...my poor dad doesn't always use cell phone technology very well, but he's getting there!  We will never let him live down the day he tried to take a picture of a Lady Vol basketball player and me, and we could see his eye on the screen like the ear in this comic.  He couldn't figure out why he couldn't see us...

The trees weren't the only ones crying because summer is over!  I miss the sunshine and heat!

This reminds me of Panther Creek

Picking a pumpkin at Halloween is like trimming the tree at Christmas

I'm with Snoopy here.  There are a lot of times when I am waiting around feeling like I'm wasting time, just looking forward to eating.

...the night that the Great Pumpkin comes!

My cousin posted this on Facebook from a long time ago when her boys were just little!  They are now in college, with the oldest almost out of medical school.  They are too cute here!  (and still are even though they're older)

A turn of the calendar to a new month means a new "Love Is" picture.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God; believe also in Me." John 14:1

Friday Faith, Funnies, Fitness, and Fuel

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Sara Hall's blog post from February 4th.

Just this week I got to scroll through and view some of the blogs on my "reading list."  I had been so busy, I hadn't looked at any since Christmas Break.  We're over halfway to Christmas again now.

I really enjoyed this post, because it described me quite accurately!  (Not that I am a professional athlete, but personality-wise)  I am achievement-motivated, like Sara, and am always go-go-going looking for something to do.  (It's not hard for me to find things to do)  I also hate sitting around and doing nothing.  Breaks are tough for me; I'm always looking for the next big challenge.  To be so achievement-motivated, you also have to be able to give yourself grace when you fail.  That's tough because, hello, we want to achieve!  However, God has plans for us, and we fail Him everyday, yet He continuously gives us grace and more opportunities to do for Him.  I can't only be worried about achieving my worldly goals, but I must worry much more about working toward the challenges that God puts before me!

If you ever think you are bored and have nothing to do, think again.  Actually, pray.  Ask God to show you and motivate you with His Spirit to get out there and do what He wants you to do today.  I promise God has something wonderful in store for you and me.  He will never let you get bored--you let you get bored.

I was so excited to hear on Monday that I was the winner of a free pack of grilled nuggets from Chick-fil-a!  I love those things!  Chick-fil-a is also one of my favorite places.  I had forgotten a while back that they would give away to so many customers who commented on a status about how they love to enjoy the new grilled chicken items, and I did, not expecting to win anything (how often do you actually win contests you enter?  Yeah, that's what I said.), so I totally forgot about it until I saw an email notification that my friend's mom had tagged me in a post.  I'm so glad she did, because I hardly ever check my Facebook unless I have a specific purpose, so I never would have seen it.  I can get them on Saturday, so it's almost grilled nugget time!

I enjoy looking at the comics each day, because some of them really get me.  I also make lots of collages of my favorite things, and comics is one of them!  Some of these are hard to read on here, but they make me laugh because of how well they relate to my life!

My favorites to read are Garfield (which is no longer in our paper, so I have to find it online), Family Circus, Bizzarro, Pickles, Rhymes with Orange, For Better or For Worse, Peanuts (of course), Arlo & Janis, Dennis the Menace, Zits, Frazz, Non Sequitur, Baby Blues, Mutts, and Crankshaft.

I don't enjoy the really wordy ones they go through long stories.  I like to just read a bit and laugh!

Each month, I get the joy of flipping my calendar and seeing the new Peanuts page!  Then I get to search out a Bible verse that goes along with it.

Love is looking out for your friends.

As Christians, we are here to help keep or brothers and sisters in Christ accountable.

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently...Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ...Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people..."

Galatians 6:1-2,10

 

Now for the fuel section!

This is a heavy duty protein bar that I took to the lake with me on Tuesday for after I skied; I knew I would need something because dinner was going to be late, and this has been a tough training week!  I found these on sale at Ingles, so I grabbed a couple.  They are Think Thin Chocolate Espresso.  230 calories, 20 grams of protein!  Good for when you need something above basic.

The past couple mornings, I've been munching on pumpkin-and-honey-topped apple cinnamon bread after my runs.

At Ingles one day, I got (probably way too) excited over this new creamer.  How could I not, though?  Caramel flavored things are good, but marshamallow?  That's my favorite!

Since I am about to leave for two weeks, minus a day inbetween, I am trying to finish up random foods around the house that would go bad while I'm gone, because no one else in my house will eat them.  A couple days I fixed a spinach, argula, cucumber, and strawberry salad.  I also had some of a dark chocolate Special K protein shake leftover from pancakes one day last week, so I added some milk to it and had some peanut butter cheerios (now like Reese's!) with dessert one night.  I had also been making homemade pasta sauce with some of my veggies at home, but the picture has disappeared from this page!  It was green if that helps give you a visual.

 

Hopefully, I can start doing some more weekly things like this!  I'm enjoying it, even if no one else is.  I'm praying for safety this July 4th weekend!

 

 

Finally in that Summertime Grind

Now that I'm back from the beach, I can do some of the things that I look forward to doing around home during summer break.  Unfortunately, I only have two weeks until I'm gone for another two weeks, and one of those weeks is already gone.  This is going by way too fast!

What better way to start the day than a morning run at Panther Creek?  That's what I do Monday through Friday, and sometimes on weekends, too.  Summertime cross country is one of my favorite things to do, and this has been the first week this summer that I've gotten to go every day and not rush to leave! 

Here is 60+ new shark teeth that I am adding to my collection that I started last year.  I have given a couple away, but like I keep trying to tell myself, "Why have things just to have them?  Share them!  That makes it worthwhile."  I sent one to my papaw in his Father's Day card because he has a much bigger collection than I do, which is what got me started looking for shark's teeth.

I had seen this coffee on the Life is Good website and put it on my "wish list" for whenever my parents or someone is looking for something to get me.  Last week, they got it at Ingles!  I can buy it just down the road from my house!  Morristown just continues to step it up!  There are also other flavors, but my main one to try is the S'more to Love, because I am in love with smores (especially marshmallows), but next I would love to try the Banana Bread Bliss.

Since I am back from the beach now, I am not spending so much money on desserts, as was my goal after going all out last week!  Here are a couple healthy, hearty, and yummy dessert ideas I thought of.  Freezer bananas are really good, and will stay fresh that way for a really long time, so that's how I've been keeping my fruits fresh.  For the one on the left, I melted dark chocolate and drizzled it over, then stuck on peanuts and Peanut Butter Cheerios and froze it.  On the right, I sliced my banana in half to make it easier to spread, mixed peanut butter, almond butter, and honey, spread them on, and topped it with peanuts before sending it back in the freezer!

Another great freezer advantage:  when yogurts are going to expire, freeze them.  They won't.  Expiration dates are not always valid, as I have also noticed.  I have many times bought yogurts accidently without realizing that the date was a month before then, but got lost on the shelf.  It was still perfectly fine.  Smell and test the texture and taste first, but they will usually still be good as new!  Before we left for the beach, I had over a week's worth of yogurts that would hit their date while we were gone.  I was a little worried that they might go to waste, so I froze them while we were gone, and now am enjoying them as I want them when I get them out of the freezer.

For the past month or so, Ingles has had the La Yogurt flavors as the cheapest yogurts they have!  I thought at first it may be to clean them out, but they still have them freshly stocked each time I go!  I am loving this, because it is a very good brand, and way cheaper now than it used to be.  Depending on the flavor, they are either 55 or 65 cents each.  That is a deal!  The two that I get most are Pumpkin Pie and Cinnamon Maple.  There are tons of other flavors that I would love to try, they are just not available at stores where I have been shopping.  Another thing I've used here that I would love to try other flavors in is Arctic Zero ice cream.

Lately I've made a lot of maple protein shakes!  I used a partially frozen cinnamon maple yogurt, Arctic Zero vanilla maple "ice cream," vanilla protein powder, sugar free syrup, honey, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and premade milk ice cubes and blended them all up=a perfect milkshake to feed those muscles and my sweet tooth!

There is a thing going around on Instagram right now where everyone is challenging one or two people to post their favorite (or one of their favorite) Bible verses and challenge someone else to do the same.  I usually don't do those "chain message" type things that always used to go around like in elementary and middle school; I believe in Christ's plan, not the luck of forwarding a message/retweeting/etc.  This, however, is a good thing in my opinion!  It is great to have others to hold us accountable and see what many others have to share.  This is only one of a few of my favorite verses, and it took my 3 days to choose.  I decided on this one because I get really stressed out at times, but I know that if I just trust in God, He will fill me with joy and peace to power through and make the most of each and every day!

A new pancake creation!  I got this idea while Mom and I were walking through Walmart a couple days ago and passed the marshmallows.  Smores and pancakes, two of my favorites, so why not put them together?  I used my Special K Dark Chocolate Protein drink and a little cocoa powder in the batter, some marshmallows, and pieces of graham cracker.  To make it more photogenic and to add some more smore flavor (the marshmallows do better on top than in the pancakes if you want to try them), I put marshmallows and a bit more graham on top, then drizzled honey and syrup.  After a long run, these were super tasty to refuel!  One of my best creations yet! 

The next day, I got another great smores idea!  I am always looking for ways I can make dessert bowls with all kinds of coordinating snacks.  Mom made brownies for Dad's birthday next week, and I knew that she would love for me to eat one.  After hard work outside in the summer, I enjoy brownies, too, ya know!  So I took a Healthy Choice Greek Dark Chocolate Swirl Frozen Yogurt (super tasty even by itself), Yoplait Greek Boston Crème Pie, TruMoo Chocolate Milk Scoops, and cool whip, adding a brownie, Fiber One Chocolate Squares, graham crackers, and marshmallows for a terrific smore in a bowl!

Something that was on my list of things to cook this summer was to make my own recipe apple cinnamon bread.  After going to Walmart and loading up on pink lady apples, I just went in the kitchen one day and got on it.  Last summer, my neighbor who had a garden brought me lots of zucchini and had her own zucchini bread recipe that I also made.  I used her recipe as a guide, changing around some ingreedients, and whalah!  Apple cinnamon bread.

The recipe:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups banana

3/4 cups pumpkin butter, sugars, honey, vanilla protein powder

2 cups grated/finely chopped apples

2 teaspoons vanilla

**Mix the above

Add:  2 1/2 cups flour (I used wheat)

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, honey, oatmeal

**Stir together and spoon into 2 loaf pans.  Bake at 325 degrees for around 1 hour.  Depending on your oven heat, it may take more or less time, so check it!

I also keep my baked goods in the fridge when not in use to keep them fresh and moist longer.

I also got the idea to make a hashtag on Instagram for all my crafts and foods that I make, #KenziesCreations.

Are you ready for #CowAppreciationDay?  I sure am!  I love cows!  They're so cute (and tasty)!  Friday, July 11th will be our last day of practice at the park until the team goes to camp in Gatlinburg, and I have a great idea.  All the girls love doing our Bible Studies once a week at

Chick-fil-a, so we should dress up (partially) and run there from the park and have breakfast!  Katlyn and I talked about it this morning and think everyone would love to participate and hope that Farmer will let us. 

 

This morning, Katlyn and I did one of my favorite things:  a breakfast road run!  Wanna hear about it?  I posted about our fantastic morning, too.  What a wonderful way to end this week!  Happy #SmallBusinessSaturday!