Weekly Recap

This week has been fabulous.  Like most of America, I've been glued to the television set watching the Olympics.  I am so proud to be an American.  How can you not just love this country?  I mean, I have shed tears over that flying squirrel, Gaby Douglas.  I've pounded the arm of my chair as Phelps earned his 3peat.  I'm praying for the male gymnasts and their future wives....and the ability to reproduce.  I mean, I'm totally immersed.  Every night, the hubs and I sit down to that.  I haven't seen an alligator get shot or a man eating a cow's privates in over a week! (Typical evening tv in this hizzouse - not you?)

I've been training for my third half marathon and training is going awesome.  It is very hot, but still, training is going well.  Sometimes I go out for a short run and end up coming back 4 or 5 miles later.  I impress myself!

I came home from a run last night and laid in the recliner; Irie wanted to snuggle so she jumped up there with me and Justin captured this shot.  She's the sweetest bigdogthatthinksshesalittledog in the world.

My life group (I lead a group of teenage girls) and I started a new bible study the other day.  I have to admit coming up with content for a bible study can be a struggle.  We meet once every other week and I only conduct the lesson for about 30-45 minutes so that we have time to pray for each other, hang out, and eat snacks, but I'm trying not to do a cookie-cutter lesson so that naturally it applies to all of us and we get something out of it.  I'm really excited about what God gave me...

Today I'm rewarding myself for not having shopped (much) this summer because this weekend is Tax Free Weekend in NC!  Whoop Whooooop!  And if you recall, I have some style goals to meet.  By the way, did I mention I deserve this because I've been dog-sitting my in-laws' 2 basset hounds all week while they are at the beach?!  That means this house has been home to 4 dogs this week!  Justin's comment last night: "We're definitely not having 4 kids."  I just don't know how people do it!

Laced Tea

I scored this great cropped lace top at a thrift store for fifty cents the other day, but didn't want to keep it white so I decided to venture into the world of natural dying.

I thought some of you might enjoy a tutorial on how to dye your own lace using teabags so here goes:

Step 1: Boil 4 cups of water per yard of fabric.
Step 2: Once water is boiling, remove from heat and put in tea bags to steep for 5 minutes.
(Use approximately 1 tea bag per cup of water)
Step 3: Remove tea bags and put fabric in pot
Step 4: Stir to ensure all fabric gets stained for at least 10 minutes
(You can leave the fabric in longer if you want the color darker. Note that it will dry a shade lighter than what it looks like wet.)
Step 5: Remove the fabric from the tea bath and let line dry.
(You can dry in dryer, but you will need to wipe out the dryer after so that future loads do not get stained.  i.e. Do it the lazy way and let it air dry.)

If  you aren't happy with the color, repeat the process.

Top: me, Belt: Belk, Shorts: AE, Sandals: Belk

My Heart

I always enjoy reading facts about other people so today I thought I would share my heart with you...

1. I am so grateful that I get to go to heaven.  It is the biggest blessing God gives.

2. I want to have babies, but I am so scared that I won't be able to or that I won't be good at it.

3. I have 2 dogs that I treat better than some parents treat their babies (shame on you, parents).  They are my babies right now.

4.  I am a runner...self-diagnosed.  Currently training for my third half marathon.

5.  I have red hair, freckles, and green eyes.  I am the recessive gene pool in one body.  (And I pray every night that my future children are gingers as well.)

6.  I am blessed with a curse.  I teach...middle school.  My heart beats for those kids.  I want to hug them, make them feel loved, fill them with knowledge, and teach them the ways of the land.

7.  I have 2 best friends that mean the absolute world to me.

8.  If I could do one crazy thing, it would be to audition for SNL.

9.  My favorite season is fall.  I love the crunchy leaves, colors, and football season.

10.  I am allergic to the cold.  No, it's not just that I don't appreciate the cold...I am legite allergic.  When I was 6, my dad and I were skiing and he rushed me to the hospital thinking I had frostbite.  Turns out, there is a fluid in our body that activates when we are cold causing us to shiver; I'm allergic to it.  Leave it to me!

11.  I played soccer in England/Scotland.  For a little over a week.  It was one of the best experiences of my life.  Our college team went over together - you can't beat it.

12.  My brother is my life-line.  I love him more than he knows.  I am the most over-protective, annoying big sister there could possibly ever be.  He puts up with me.

13.  I met my husband by way of motorcycle accident.  Long story.

14.  I care way too much what others think.  I am prayerfully getting past that.  

15.  I was blessed with the best parents I could ever have asked for.  They are the most loving, giving, exemplary people out there.  Which brings me to my fear of parenthood - I want to give my kids what I had.

16.  I grew up in a small town, graduated with 28 in my class.

17.  I want to become superintendent of a school system so that I can rip off the band-aid the government has placed over the wound and actually get to the root of the matter.  Our education system is not prioritized as it should be and I want to fix that by getting rid of bad teachers, employing great ones, setting up a family unit within the schools, creating a school system that is unified, and inspiring kids to greatness.

18.  I went to college 9 hours from home, but never once felt as though I wasn't at home.  (Juniata College in PA is the bomb(dot)com - if you're graduating soon, check it outtttt)

19.  My Mimi is the most beautiful woman I know...inside and out.  I aspire to be like her.  She taught me to laugh from my belly, sew, and throw a mad tea party.  Things I want to teach my future grandchildren one day.

20.  I love my husband.  We are not perfect; we will never claim to be.  My love for him is unconditional and undying.  We will make it through anything that comes our way because of our covenant we made on our wedding day.  My marriage is my #2 priority (my relationship with Jesus being #1.)

It's not much.  I'm nothing special.  Some of you knew these things about me already anyway.  Just a glimpse into my heart.  Thanks for getting to know a lil more about moi.

If you want to catch more glimpses than even my mother can appreciate follow me:
Twitter: @missgarvey
Instagram: @coachgaines13
Facebook: Lindsay Gaines