Coffee Date// 9.13.13

Happy Friday friends!!

It's been a good week. 

more info about the #LetHopeIn book here.

My necklace is from JulietheFish on Etsy here.

What have you been up to this week? Tell me in the comments below! 

Have a great weekend friends! 

20+ Awesome NON Carving Ideas for Pumpkins

I love Fall, it's truly one of my favorite seasons and the one that I miss the most now that we live in the Southwest. Fall in Arizona just isn't the same as it is up North. This time of year has me longing for crisp air, leaves that change color, hot drinks while strolling through the pumpkin patch.

I love carving pumpkins. Today I've rounded up 20+ ideas for your pumpkins that don't have anything to do with carving. This year it's all about painting those pumpkins with paint, glitter, bright colors and whatever your heart desires. You can really customize your decor this way, and it's a lot of fun! Last year we painted pumpkins with each of the kids initials. We let Ava pick out pumpkins for herself and her unborn brother at the time, she painted both of them!

1. Black & White Pumpkins 
2. Black, White & Gold 
3. Monogrammed Pumpkins
4. Argyle Painted Pumpkins
5. Polka Dot Pumpkins
6. Glitter Covered Pumpkins
7. Modge Podge Pumpkins
8. House Number Pumpkins
9. Give Thanks Painted Pumpkins
10. Chevron Painted Pumpkins
11. Mini Painted Pumpkins
12. Pink & Gold Painted Pumpkins
13. Burberry Painted Pumpkin
14. Color Block Painted Pumpkins
15. Puff Painted Pumpkins
16. Paint Splattered Pumpkins
17. Spooky Words on Pumpkins
18. "Hello" Painted Pumpkin
19. Glossy Spray Painted Pumpkins
20. Bright Color Painted Pumpkins
21. Knit Covered Pumpkins
22. Paint Dipped Pumpkins
23. Mascot Painted Pumpkin
24. Ikat Pumpkin
25. Countdown to Halloween Painted Pumpkin

Refresh Your Home with Renuzit Air Fresheners #choosethemall

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

With the changing of the seasons it has me longing to change the decor in my home and getting excited for Fall in my home. When the seasons change so do the scents in my home. I love complimenting my home with the "smells of the season."

Nothing says Fall like warm apple pie! I think one of the easiest and quickest ways to chance the atmosphere of your home is with the scents that you can bring in your home. Renuzit has lots of new scents to help you do just that in your home. Renuzit has a brand new look to their air fresheners that I love. They have been around for a while but I love the brand new sleek design they have, and how you can incorporate them into your already existing decor.

I headed to Wal-Mart to pick up some of these awesome scents, I wanted to fill out home with all sorts of yummy scents for Fall. I love the Fall season, and since it's still blazes hot here in Arizona it doesn't quite feel like Fall yet, but picking up a few apple & cinnamon Renuzit cones makes my home smell just like Fall.

These are perfect in my kid's room, where they need an extra, ahem.....scent. Especially, the nursery where there's all kinds of stinky things going on. I loved that I could add them into my decor and the cones didn't distract from my already existing decor. The sleek new design lends to this I think, also taking the labels off helped as well.

I love that these cones come in both white and black making it even easier for you to add them to decor. This white went nicely in Zane's nursery, and I choose the apple cinnamon scent that smells yummy and helps refresh the room when there's a lot of diaper changes going on in this room. 

In Ava's room I placed a black cone with an awesome coconut scent.

If you'd like to try out the new Renuzit design and scents email me and I will send you a $1 off coupon so you can try them out for yourself! andreaworley@live.com

I shopped and found mine at Wal-Mart but you can also find them at Target & Kroger! Visit Renuzit on Facebook for more info and check out the Scent Gents and other contest there as well.

Tips for Starting Your Own Healthy Living & Weight Loss Journey

The past few months have been eye opening and challenging. I've learned so much about myself through this process, and I wanted to share some of the things that I've learned and have helped me along the way.

First I want to say, that I am not a fitness or nutritional expert. These are just my own thoughts and some things that have helped me along the way reach my goals, change my lifestyle and helped me loose 50+ pounds so far.

1. Be Motivated
I've talked about this before. I really believe the first step to changing is the want and desire to change! Tell your spouse, your friends and family about your desire and goals and ask them to encourage you along this journey as well. This can be a great motivator for you and help hold you accountable as well, which I think both are important on this journey.

2. Create small & attainable goals
Don't overwhelm yourself with a bunch of goals that are out of your reach. Sit down and make a list of some small goals you want to accomplish. When I first started this the original goal was to loose 30+ pounds of weight that I packed on while pregnant. I wanted to loose that weight, I made a small goal of ten pounds at a time. I made a goal to workout at least 3 times a week. I didn't know how much I could do, but I made it a goal to at least do that. After I met that goal, I made some other ones. Creating small and attainable goals helps you stay on track and helps you stay motivated. Also give yourself small rewards along the way to help keep you motivated.

3. Move your body
You can not expect to loose weight if you don't move your body. Believe me I've tried. I've tried a lot of fad diets, pills and other things to loose weight. But it's the combination of healthy eating and regular exercise that you see results with. There is NOT a substitution for hard work! I know you want a quick fix (I did too!) maybe you can't work out everyday but you can work out at least 3 times a week. Make it a goal to workout and move your body for at least 20 minutes a day.

4. Make Yourself the priority
With all the roles we have as women (wife, mother, employee, business owner, etc.) it can be easy to put yourself at the bottom of the list sometimes. In order to successfully start a journey like this you NEED to make yourself a priority. I realized that taking care of myself and my body not only helped myself but helped me be a better wife and mother. When you do this you teach yourself and your children valuable lessons about taking care of the body God gave you.

5. Take account of what you're putting into your body
This goes along with #3, along with moving your body you need to be aware of what you're putting into your body. Fat doesn't make you fat, sugar makes you fat. Eating crap makes you fat, sluggish, tired and then you feel bad about yourself. When I started I kept a food journal so that I could see what I was eating and evaluate it, then I switched to the My Fitness Pal App (free) and I realized I what I was eating and what I could cut out quickly. I started to make better choices with what I was putting into my body. More fruits and veggies and less refined sugar. More healthy options, not processed foods. Weight loss is more about what you eat and are putting into your body. Be accountable for how you're fueling your body, and make sure your fueling it with the right things. Am I saying that you can never have a cookie again? No, but you need to have a balanced and healthy diet and get rid of the junk.

What tips would you add to this list? I want to hear your stories and your encouragement too about your own journey. Leave them in the comments below. 

Coffee Date// Night owl status, the weekend, and other ramblings!

Hi Friends! Happy Friday. 

Did this week fly by fast for you because of having Monday off? I did for me, which is AWESOME because I LOVE Fridays! 

Let's get to it!

ps- 10 points if you can name the intro song, first one to guess correctly gets a prize (no, seriously.)

Linking up here with Alissa from Rags to Stitches

Inspirational Running Play List

I've heard a lot of runners say that running is like free therapy, and I agree. When I run I pray a lot, it gives me time to clear my thoughts that are swirling in my head. Gain some perspective about the day and talk to God. 

I also love a good play list when I run. And I love finding inspirational songs that help motivate me and keep God's message on my heart. Here's a few of my rotating faves that are currently playing on my Ipod as I hit the pavement.

• All for You - Mikes Chair
• All This Time - Britt Nicole
• Cast My Cares - Tim Timmons
• Enough - Jason Castro
• Forever Reign - One Sonic Society
• Free - Dara Maclean
• Get Up - Building 429
• He Moves You Move - Audio Adrenaline
• Keep Changing the World - Mikes Chair & Lecrae
• Life is Beautiful - The Afters
• Live Like That - Sidewalk Prophets
• Promises - Sanctus Real
• This Is The Stuff - Francesca Battistelli
• Strangely Dim - Francesca Battistelli
• What A Savior - Laura Story
• Awaken - Natalie Grant
• Something Beautiful - Natalie Grant
• Keep On Shining - Natalie Grant
• God's Not Dead - Newsboys
• Good Morning - Mandisa
• Overcomer - Mandisa
• Steady My Heart - Kari Jobe

What are some of your favorite songs?

Happiness vs. Contentment

Can I tell you something about myself? 

It took me a long time to realize that contentment and happiness are not the same thing. 

Can I tell you something else? It took me a long time to truly be content in my life. To come to a place of peace and contentment. 

Our happiness is based on the good things that happen to us. It's based on how good these emotions make us feel. 

I feel really good when my Husband brings me flowers, it makes me happy. But the question is, would I still feel this way if he never brought me another bouquet of flowers again? Would I be content knowing that he loves me?

Being content means that I know he loves me even if he never brought me flowers again as an extra gesture of his love. 

Being content means that you have a peace that only Christ can give and no matter what circumstances you might find yourself in life you will always come back to God's love for you and his plan for your life.

I really struggled with this and I didn't even know it. I didn't know it until my husband really opened my eyes to it. During a period in my life where I had every reason to question our circumstances I made a choice to know God's love for me was much bigger than my circumstances, and that if I allowed him he'd take that mess and make something glorious out of it. 

If you want to breed un happiness in your life focus on what you don't have. Focus on what your friends have that you wish you did. Compare yourself, your families and your lives and you will surely be unhappy, and maybe a little depressed. 

I learned that contentment meant relying on Christ and that my happiness was not determined by the circumstances of my life. 

Philippians 4:12 (NIV)

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Nope, life is not perfect and it still throws so much at me on a daily basis but I've changed my heart and kept my perspective on Christ. It has made all the difference in living a content life and knowing that my life is NOT determined by my feelings alone. 

As I pursue my relationship with the Lord I believe one of the overflowings of that is a content spirit. 

1 Timothy 6:6 (KJV)

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

I encourage you today if you're struggling with this today to pray and seek God's wisdom. I pray that you would be able to find the source of your discontent, and that it would be replaced with JOY.