the song let it go :: cuteness overload.

you know the movie frozen?

the best movie out there?

(at least, the best movie that's currently in the theaters...in my opinion.)

yeah, that one.

well, this little video has been going around social media and it's just too adorable not to share on my little corner of the world.

introducing the twins--maddie and zoe.

take it away little girls...

and just in case you haven't seen the movie yet (*gasp*), here is what they were singing:

the extra mile.

i awoke this morning to the sound of rain and hard wind with a mix of lightning and thunder.

at 6:30 a.m., i hear mom's voice as she quietly comes through my bedroom door:

"so, what do you think?"

"i don't know....what do you think?"

i had payed the entry fee a few days before and was supposed to run in the hope inspired ministries 5k + 1 mile.

we both sneak downstairs without waking daddy and i check the weather radar.

it's iffy.

it seemed to have been calming down a bit outside so we decide to head to the starting line at the armory.

we all get dressed and grab our rain jackets.

i grab a breakfast of peanut butter and pretzels to go.

we arrive and it's misting.

we see a few lightning strikes and hear the rumble of thunder.

the race is supposed to begin at 8:30.

it is put off until 9:30.

they finally decide on 9:45 for the time to begin the race.

by this time, the rain had stopped and was cloudy with a slight coolness in the air.

perfect for running.

the horn buzzed and the runners were off.

a huge downhill was at the beginning...so nice!

but then the monsters came.

uphill challenges awaited the runners.

i would make it halfway up a gigantic hill and would fast-walk the rest of the mountain.

out of all the hills we conquered, twice i had to walk up the monstrous hills.

boy, were they some doozy's.

and then downhill we would go...

(ahhhh. so nice.)

mile 1, 2, 3, 4....

up again....down again....

at one point in the race, i had to wait for a firetruck (with sirens blaring) to pass before crossing the road.

(never had that happen before. haha!)

at the end of mile 4, i could see mom walking towards me on the downtown sidewalk.

encouraging me to keep at it, she ran along side me the last few yards. daddy soon appeared and cheered me to the finish.

my time flashed as i sprinted across the finish line:

45:20.

yet again i was so thankful for the ability to be able to have the health to run...

and tackle the uphill hills.

God is good.

as we waited for the awards to be handed to the winners, we enjoyed time chatting with our runner friends.

and then the sun came out.

(God, you're so amazing.)

the award ceremony began and names were called.

age division 20-29.

third place....

second place...

first place...marli reese.

i was overwhelmed with thankfulness.

being able to "go the extra mile" in today's race made me think about how we ought to be going to the extra mile in our everyday lives.

99% or 25% just isn't good enough.

we should give our all--plus some.

yeah sure, 100% is nice, but how about going further? 

i pray that we'll all be able to go beyond 100%.

run that extra mile.

you can do it.

Stats for Hope Inspired Ministries 5k plus one mile:

Total Time: 45:20

Age Division: 20-29

Place: 1st out of the 3 in my age division

Overall Place: 28 out of 68 runners

Pace: 10:48

it's a family affair :: part one.

it was monday morning--the 30th.

the brother-in-law and sister had spent the night with us.

our bags were packed and ready. 

(at least some of them. hehe!)

we were looking forward to the adventures that awaited us.

the car was loaded, and the brother and sis-in-law had arrived.

our time of departure (9:30 a.m.) came and went and we were running fashionably behind as normal.

hey, we didn't care--we were on vacation.

our caravan of the tahoe and suburban pulled out.

everyone keeps a plastic bubble pipe behind their ear, right?

first stop:

cracker barrel for lunch.

yum!

second stop:

unclaimed baggage.

he's going to be the coolest daddy.

dvd's and a chi straightener were our purchased items. 

the backpack child carrier was almost bought, but it was restored back to it's spot on the shelf.

until next time, mr baby carrier.

third stop:

the grovery store called "lucky's" to buy the remainder of the groceries that we would need for the week.

fourth stop:

our house away from home.

the big house.

we unloaded the trucks and prepared dinner.

we watched some tv and then popped in sherlock holmes.

it was going to be a good week.

(more to come.)

not once, but twice.

yup.

that's right.

i'm going to be an aunt TWO TIMES in july 2014.

sister and sis-in-law are preggo.

we're just a tad bit excited over here at my house.

(completely an understatement.)

(insta @purposelyathome)

the first day of the last.

today is it.

the first day of my last semester of college.

boy, howdy.

how i have been looking forward to this day.

it seems like only yesterday i was registering for my first semester of online classes.

and yet, it seems like it was eternity ago.

as i look back over my wonderful experience of college life, i am reminded of all the blessings that i experienced along the way...

`being able to stay at home and complete my assignments in the comfort of my own home.

`having a family that was there all along the way to support me.

(mom, i couldn't have done it without ya.)

`not having to worry about being "late" for class when i could just hop on the internet and be there in the midst of class session.

`being able to go to bed at 9:00 like an old grandma and not feel pressured to stay up with college friends.

`having the flexibility to spend more time with family and friends instead of having to sit through lectures in a college building classroom.

...sitting at the table in my pj's, just me and my lecture notes, studying for a final.

...being able to answer a discussion board in the empty library on my lunch hour.

...having the privilege of being able to take women's Bible classes and learning about how to be a homemaker and virtuous wife.

...having the most quaint classroom of them all.

...and sometimes, mid-term week just called for a breakfast of chocolate graham crackers with peanut butter and a diet coke.

...oh yeah, and then the little reminders for everyday.

yes.

it was an amazing last four years.

even with all the tears that were cried over accounting 1 and 2 homework and the instructors who would take weeks to email me and grade my work, these past four years held some of the greatest blessings in my life.

so here we go.

last semester, let's get you knocked out.