Week 17: Looking Back on This Past Week + What I’m Reading, Listening to, and Watching!
This is the face of a 44 year old woman who ran her first 10k last Sunday – without stopping!!!!
I seriously and honestly do not believe this!
And I’m sharing my running journey with you all because I hope it inspires you to go and try that thing you’ve always told yourself you’d never do.
Some things I did to prepare: I ate an extra 100 grams of carbs on Saturday. (I usually aim for 240 grams/day – I ate about 340 grams on Saturday.)
I drank extra water/electrolytes on Saturday and took a complete rest day with no exercise and plenty of rest.
I slept well on Saturday night. I ate half an English muffin with peanut butter 45 minutes before my run. Then I paved myself and ran 12 miles for the first 4 miles. I slowly picked up the pace for the last two miles. I felt great throughout the trip and afterwards, too!
Kierstyn and I went to Disney this week – something that has been her dream for three years!!! It was everything she hoped and wanted and more – and we did it on a budget!
We didn’t watch TV or movies growing up, so I didn’t really get or understand the enthusiasm for Disney. But traveling with @alliworthington as an adult changed that for me. There is something this place does for my soul and body – I feel like it helps you rediscover the wonder of being a child. And seeing it through my child’s eyes was truly amazing!
Seeing her cry with so much joy and wonder when she saw the characters made me so emotional. He couldn’t contain his happiness and joy and it was deeply touching to hear. I can’t help but think this is how my Heavenly Father feels about me when He sees me enjoying something.
We didn’t spend any money on experiences or merchandise other than our ticket, but we ended up meeting 5 princesses – which was a real highlight! I think because we went on a Tuesday in April, it wasn’t too crowded.
We highly, highly recommend the princess meeting experience at Fairytale Hall. We waited about 20 minutes on two separate occasions to experience two different procedures at the same time. They would spend a few minutes with each person and it was a very personal feeling. The princesses were beautiful and kind. And it was completely free!
You can bring your own food and drinks into the park. I always bring a backpack with goodies and a water bottle to refill. (Note: the water at the filling stations doesn’t taste good so I recommend bringing electrolytes or something to mix with or asking for free cups of ice water at the food service stations.)
If you want to buy food, the best thing (I think) is to get baby food. Adults can find them and have healthy and delicious options – all under $10. Most come with a drink and two sides.
You can easily spend thousands on a Disney trip if you get a lot of upgrades, etc. But you can also easily do it for a few hundred per person (or even less!) if you only buy tickets, bring your own food/drink, don’t buy things at the parks, and stay at a budget hotel with a free shuttle to the parks.
Something Kierstyn had asked to do was to paint her face, so I told her we would do that as something really special. It’s $28 (expensive) but they give you free touch ups throughout the day if your face paint gets messed up. There was a girl who came back because her face paint was almost gone and they did it again for free.
Thanks to my friend @adventureadvising for all the Disney tips and helping plan the trip and saving us $$ on our hotel! It was a truly special experience that Kierstyn and I will cherish for years to come!
(Note: Many of you have requested on Instagram that I share more about going to Disney on a budget, so I’m planning a full post with much more detail this coming week!)
On Thursday night, Kathrynne was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma and was awarded an important accounting scholarship (she’s an accounting major).
I watched him walk around talking to many, many different people last night and I had to wonder who he was. To think that in 5th grade, he was too shy to even talk to anyone his age and suffered from extreme social anxiety. And here he is today leading many things, chasing many different responsibilities, chasing his dreams with great speed, with great confidence, and coming out amazing.
I am proud of him!
I also love her friends – I got to hang out with her roommate and her best friend, Emma, all night and we had the best time and we probably whispered and giggled a little too much during the ceremony. 🫣
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This CHI hair conditioner is one of my favorite hair products and I highly recommend it!
Walmart is offering it right now Their favorite Spring Beauty box for only $8.98 shipped!
This box includes six to seven new beauty products made just for you. It makes a great gift idea, too.
I just received my box and was so excited to see all the goodies it included!
Speaking of travel, one of my favorite things to travel with is my collapsible backpack! I got it last year in February and it has been on many trips with me since and it has held up very well. It’s perfect for sticking in your suitcase to use when you need a bag for a long day of walking but don’t want to carry a heavy backpack.
This girl turns 6 this week! And she ran to the mirror on the morning of her birthday and was so disappointed, “Mom! I don’t look different! I was sure I would look different when I turned 6!”
Meanwhile, Kaitlynn made this amazing splash this week. She is very talented with hair and I am PROUD of her following her long time dream of cosmetology school and how she knocks it out of the park. You are already building a customer base and I am not surprised because you are doing such an amazing job! (If you’re looking for a new stylist and live in Nashville, TN, I’m a little biased, but I think you should check her out. Details on how to book with her are at @curledbykait!)
David has been making A LOT of progress with communication and communication. She is hitting the bumps now and enjoying it so much!
My secret to packing a TON in your carry on – these vacuum sealed travel bags from Ekster!!
Highly, highly recommend these bags if you travel often! This would make a great gift idea for anyone in your life who flies often!
Up to 50% off right now + I got the company to give you all 20% off any order with the code CRYSTAL20
Mika is three years old and we have been working on teaching him to cook, clean himself, and let the ladies go first and open doors for his sisters and other wives. He loves to do it and often runs forward to open the door.
He has watched his father model this since day one and is excited to follow in his footsteps! Watch this great video here. Let’s teach the boys to be gentlemen! And let’s start teaching our sons from an early age!
Yesterday was a bittersweet day. After five years of playing baseball with this school team, Silas played his last game with them.
As many of you know, Silas came to us in December asking to change schools this coming year (he will be a Junior). He has been at this school since the 5th grade and we thought he would graduate from high school there. But he had a long list of good reasons and we prayed and agreed that we felt it was a good move. So we have been in the process of praying and looking and applying for the past four months and trusting God to give clear direction.
You have great friends and deep relationships with coaches and teachers that will be hard to leave behind. His baseball coach has done a lot for him and we are very grateful for the impact he has had on him.
Jesse got to be an assistant coach for his school’s baseball team three years ago, so that makes it all the more bittersweet to end this season. We are so thankful for the many memories they have made together over the past few years – and it warms my heart that Silas wanted Jesse to be part of the coaching staff. It’s a great gift to have a teenager who *wants* you to be involved in their lives and the lives of their friends.
What I read
Mists Over the Channel Islands – My first novel by Sarah Sundin and I really enjoy it.
The Body Teaches the Soul – I’m slowly working my way through this because it’s so good!
You know – I already know I’m going to say that every single parent and everyone who works with children needs to read this book! THE TRUTH!
Depth – This book has been very helpful to me as I have walked with others through deep grief.
What I’m watching
I continue to watch When Calls the Heart. I’m about to finish Season 12 – can you believe it? I hope to finish the whole series in the next few weeks and will need a new series to start. Any recommendations?
What I’m listening to
Lots of worship music in my races! I love to get out in nature and watch the sun rise and listen to music that points me to Jesus. It fills the soul! One of my current favorites is Though You Were Rich.
If you missed it
25 of My Favorite Things I Bought at Aldi – If you want to stretch your grocery budget, knowing the best things to buy at ALDI is essential. This is my personal comprehensive list of the best things to buy at ALDI – meaning these are all the things I can always find at the lowest price at ALDI compared to other grocery stores.
Chicken Alfredo Pizza Recipe ($10 Dinner Idea) — This $10 family dinner was inspired by leftovers but quickly became a family favorite! You’ll love how easy, fast, and economical it is!
Brigette’s $114 grocery trip — Check out what Brigette had to say this week and her upcoming meals for meal planning inspiration!
Misfits Market discount code — Are you having trouble buying new produce for your family? Check out these honest reviews of Misfits Market for a solution that can save you money on groceries! (And be sure to scroll down for a discount code that will get you 30% off your first four boxes!)
Easy Lazy Monkey Bread Recipe — This easy, split breakfast with biscuits, cinnamon, and sugar is perfect for holidays and family gatherings.
