{january photo-a-day challenge}

I love this idea of taking one photo each day.

Ordinary little memories captured, and it's fun!

So I joined in on Fat Mum Slim's challenge for January...

you . breakfast . something you adore

letter box . something you wore . makes you smile

favorite . your sky . daily routine

childhood . where you sleep . close-up

in your bag . something you're reading . happiness

morning . water . something you bought

sweet . someone you love . reflection

your shoes . something old . guilty pleasure

something you made . color . lunch

light . inside your fridge

nature . you again

Did you do this challenge in January?

If you've posted about it on your blog,

leave me a link so I can check it out!

Will you be joining me in February?

couch to 5k {weeks 5-7}

I can hardly believe that I'm starting

week 8 of the couch to 5k today.

It's been hard.

The farther you get in the program,

the longer you have to jog,

the less walking breaks you get {if you get any!},

the more you have to push.

But I've been trying.

I push myself to at least finish each workout,

even if it's super slow.

Friday was an encouragement to me.

I jogged the full 25 minutes,

went 2.70 miles, 12:56 min/mile.

Best distance & time yet!

It's still slow, I know, but so much better!

I'm excited to finish these last 2 weeks of the program,

and hopefully improve on my speed as I go.

If you've just started C25k, I encourage you to stick with it,

even when it gets tough. Now it feels good to actually jog for that long.

When I started, I could barely jog for a minute without being super worn out!

I can be proud of what I've accomplished so far. :)

Happy Monday!

an afternoon of projects!

Last week, my dear friend Elisabeth {check out her blog!}

& I got together for an afternoon to do some projects.

We tried 2 different things, tile coasters & stenciled mugs.

It was great to have an afternoon specifically set aside for crafting.

We had a lot of fun working on our designs & chatting about life. ;)

We definitely plan on doing this again!

What projects have you been working on lately?

Have a wonderful weekend!

something to say.

I have to confess...

I love blogging. I really, really do.
But with the blog world, it becomes easy for me to compare.
To become discontent with who I am.
With my life, my shop, my clothes, etc.

But, there are a few things I'm sure of.

No one in this world can be a better me.


Even if I don't blog about the "right" trends,
the latest DIY projects,
don't have the cutest clothes out there,
am not a great photographer.
I get discouraged & distracted,
and I waste more time than I care to admit.

There's so much I'm not,
but there's also so much that I am.

I am a child of the Most High.
His love & grace carry me through
everything I do, even the failures.

I am married to the sweetest husband.
I am a wife, and I make that a priority,
even if it means that I spend most of my day
doing dishes & laundry.

I am a lover of color, of creativity,
of good coffee and good books.
I stitch & snip & take out stitches
when I get it wrong.
I love music & song & melody.

I'm silly & kinda strange.
Unique & curious.
Shy & insecure.

I am just me.
& I'm thankful that I'm me.

*****

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
It's something that's been on my heart to share.


Also, just so you know,
I'm trying to make it okay if I don't blog every single day.
I don't want my blog to get in the way of living life.
I will definitely still be posting, but if I feel like I have nothing to say,
I'm choosing to be okay with that. ;)


Have a lovely day!

currently...

print

listening...

to my Hayley Westenra station on Pandora.

eating...

toast with peanut butter; my favorite breakfast.

drinking...

coffee, of course. ;)

wearing...

still in my pajamas.

feeling...

very tired. It's Monday morning.

weather...

sunny!

wanting...

more hours in the day.

needing...

to make a grocery list.

And clean the bathrooms. And fold the laundry.

thinking...

about all the things I have to get done today, apparently.

enjoying...

my slow morning routine before the crazy begins.

Happy Monday to you.

hello, Friday.

I'm so glad that it's Friday.

This has been a good week, but a busy one.

I'm looking forward to sleeping in this weekend,

spending time with family & friends,

and working on various projects.

Here's a little peek at my week through my Instagram shots...

-- Mini clothespins for all my embroidery floss. Yay for no tangles!

-- Pretty grocery store flowers make me smile.

-- Finally used my free drink from my birthday! But I share with my husband, too. ;)

-- We got some super vibrant delphiniums over the weekend; so cheerful!

-- A trip to Target. Added some rosies so my outfit looked more put together.

-- Started Northanger Abbey this week, the only Austen I haven't read yet.

-- Creativity is very messy sometimes.

-- My family's adorable puppy, Nora.

-- A trip to IKEA this week so my husband actually has a desk. ;)

-- Spent yesterday afternoon doing projects with a sweet friend {will share more soon!}.

-- Part of my goal to write more letters this year.

-- John 1:17. Love this truth.

{{If you'd like to follow along on Instagram, I'm thesweetpetunia.}}

Have an absolutely lovely weekend!

finding joy.

{source}

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

- Psalm 126:3

For a long time, I struggled with finding joy & contentment in my everyday life.
It's gotten easier. God has done amazing things for me, so why shouldn't I be joyful?!

Some little, ordinary things that bring me joy:

- spending time with my sweet husband

- grocery store flowers in mason jars

- reading the Psalms

- stitches coming together to make something pretty

- lovely new fabrics

- accomplishing my running workouts

- sipping my morning coffee

- FaceTime with my family

- soup & grilled cheese {yum!}

- clean dishes

What's bringing you some simple joy today?

projects on my list.

{1} side panel shirt refashion

{2} chunky circle scarf

{3} washi tape clothespin magnets

{4} diy coasters

{5} lined drawstring bag

What projects are on your list currently?

lists + focus

I am very easily distracted.

There's so much to see & do & think & read & write & craft & sew!

{see what I mean? lots of distractions}

Sometimes, I just have to sit down & make myself a list.

I think it helps because I can see my goal, have boxes to check.

Are the lists always exciting? Nope.

You can see a little of my list from yesterday, and it's pretty mundane stuff

like dishes, laundry, putting away all the Christmas stuff, vacuuming.

Do I always get everything checked off my list? No.

But that's okay. I just keep working on it until I'm done.

I love my lists. They keep me focused & on track. :)

{and yes, I'm silly, and I'm okay with that. wink, wink.}

• the bird lists in the picture were found here.
• love this cute "ta-da!" list.
• today's 6 most important things list.

these lists are free for you to print!

linking up with Krystina today, because I love lists. ;)

couch to 5k {weeks 2-4}

So, I'm still not {what I would consider} a runner.

But, starting up week 5 of the Couch to 5k,

I'm beginning to feel a lot better about my running.

I've had some hard days, where all I really wanted to do was fall on the ground,

but I've pushed through & finished every workout so far.

I'm really, really slow, and I tend to use up all my energy during

the first half of the workout, which means I really have to push to finish.

But, I'm determined to at least make it to the end of the program,

and hopefully, the more I run, the better I'll get.

The one thing I don't have is a good running playlist...

I've been running without any music, which can get a little boring.

So, that brings me to my question for today...

What song is a must for your running playlist?

hello, Monday.

hello, Monday.

hello, happiness because my husband is home!

hello, celebrating a year since my guy proposed

& three months of marriage!

hello, counting calories & running & trying to get fit.

hello, starting week five of the Couch-2-5k program.

{I'll update you on that another day...}

hello, lots of projects to work on!

I don't know about you, but I love making new things. :)

hello, new blog look!

I'm kinda in love with it.

hello, meal planning & list making.

hello, dishes & laundry & normal life.

hello, new week.

What are you saying hello to this week?

inspired by the lovely Lisa!

snapshots from my week.

Happy Friday!

me on the first day of 2012

husband & I are trying out this journaling project for the year

made myself a sweet little case for my sunglasses ;)

reading late at night when I should be sleeping

ordered new phone cases for the husband + I

a yummy dinner :: chicken avocado salad, homemade chips + corn

adorable new washi tape = can't wait to create with it!

working my way through week 4...

a box of notes & letters from my love.

{today marks 5 years together!}

what I wore on Wednesday

skirt, sweater :: Old Navy

boots :: Target

scarf :: made  by me!

gorgeous Florida

Thursday :: hanging out with sisters,

super casual in my sunglasses & hubby's aero tee.

How has your week been?

if you'd like to follow me on Instagram, I'm thesweetpetunia :)

linking up with Jeannett!

adore.

I adore him. I really, really do.

He's off on a trip the rest of this week {for work},

and I miss him so much already!

I'll be distracting myself by hanging out with friends,

shopping for new project supplies at Joanns,

having my sisters come over for a stay,

working on fun things.

I'm sure he'll be home before I know it. ;)

hello, 2012.

Hello, lovelies!

I hope your holidays were merry & bright...

I had a wonderful time celebrating with my husband & our families,

and I'm so excited for what the new year may hold. :)

{a his + hers journaling project}

I'm not great with New Year's Resolutions.

Staying motivated is hard for me.

But for 2012, this is what I want...

grow in Christ.

finish reading through the whole bible. pray more!

spend time with God every day.

get fit.

complete the C25k program. work out more. Wii Fit.

work on portion control. lose 10 lbs.

cut out soda.

at least temporarily. drink more water!

grow The Sweetest Petunia & Petunia Blooms.

watch less, read more.

write more letters.

& send encouragement cards just because!

create for the sake of creating

not because I have to, not just for the shop.

just for me.

date my husband.

making him feel loved, respected & important.

enjoy every moment.