Fight to be “That Mom”

It’s MENTAL!!

This is a continuation of my blog post The proof isn’t in the pudding…it’s in the picture! Read it HERE!

You have decided that you want to be “that mom”! You know the one with 10 kids and a set of Abs! 🙂 Awesome! Well first things first….

You got to WANT IT and you got to be willing to FIGHT FOR IT!

“Wait what?”

Yes I said it, “YOU got to be ready to fight for it!”

“Why do I need to fight for it?” You are probably asking yourself!

Well because once you want something so bad you can taste it you seem to find resistance, temptation, and a million reasons why this will never work! It’s called SELF DEFEAT…and you have been around that mountain TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT! Be prepared to be mentally STRONG! I talk about my transformation story HERE. It’s not only about my body but my mind as well!

Be prepared to take CONTROL of your busy life but also be FELXABLE!

Doesn’t that seem kind of like an oxymoron?

Yes, it does but lets be realistic here! IF you are a mother of small children, you know there will be those chaotic out of your control days when your children will get sick, and unexpected events will occur which will have the potential to derail your work out schedule! That’s okay! It happens! The most important thing is that you stick to is this. DON’T LET IT put a complete HALT to your goals! You can’t have a bad three day span or a week and then decide to throw in the towel to the whole thing! (I know, been there, felt like it.) Keep pushing forward. Be forgiving and extend grace to yourself! READ …SET BACKS!

Be prepared meaning have a schedule for your work outs for the week and stick to them! If something causes you to miss, then already have a plan to make up for the work out or cardio session.

For me I have had to adjust my 5 day a week schedule of working out and cardio because of School Events and Work. I work at a Preschool so summer days our mine to spend how I choose!

I lift weights Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday but I run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday! Check out what I discovered about Fasted Cardio here….nice results!

I recommend joining a GYM or some type of FITNESS center!

If you are having doubts or fears about joining a gym please read my 8 Awesome ways to Conquer your gym-phobia here.

Maybe you just don’t want to join a gym but are considering purchasing a home gym? I say go for it! Heavy weights will not bulk you up like the Hulk, they will help burn fat and create lean muscle tone.

Need help with a work out routine but you don’t want to hire a personal trainer at your local gym? Google Weight lifting work out for women or go to http://www.bodybuilding.com and search there. I am not a personal trainer so I can’t really give you “expert advice.” I can share with you what my work outs look like. You can ask me by commenting below or you can email me at leighleighspeaks@gmail.com. Please put Work out Routines in your subject box So I don’t spam it!

YOU CAN DO THIS!!

Words to pray and speak over yourself during the beginning stages of your new journey:

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

DO NOT BE AFRAID!!

Stay Strong

-Leigh Leigh

What is holding you back right now? Let’s talk it out, I would love to be able to share some encouragement with you! Comment below!

Follow my blog! Follow me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks or twitter @ash_leighharris God Bless!

The Proof isn’t in the pudding….it’s in the picture

It’s Monday which means it’s time for some Encouragement to get you through your week!

It’s been awhile since I have blogged about fitness and for that I apologize! I have been a super crazy Momma over here! But, wouldn’t you know today is a School Holiday which means the kids are home and I have an excuse to be home as well!! This makes me happy so I decided I would catch up on my blog!

If you are one of my faithful followers (thank you for that) you will remember how I was all freaking about over month ago when school was in full swing with all the new sports schedules my children were participating in, along with me going back to work. I went through a few weeks of chaos and my gym routine was all out of sorts! I was on the brink of being discouraged and wanting to throw in the towel, but there was a big part of me that didn’t want to let go of all the progress I made over the summer putting lots of time into the gym. When your life is on a fast pace it feels easy to be taken over by fast food and laziness binges due to lack of energy from being so busy! Don’t give in to this because it doesn’t have to be that way!

I am happy to report that I was able to not allow myself to stay stuck in that rut I fell into for a few weeks. If you need a little push read this!

When your passion is in something specific and your will to see it through is strong enough, you will make a way! You will!

The secret is….You got to want it bad enough for yourself! It will not come easy, or over night, but it will come, it will play out, it will manifest into something beautiful if you just stay faithful and trust the process! All of your time, hard work, dedication, sweat, tears, discipline, efforts, they will pay off and you will be satisfied with your results!

This picture was taken on our leg day! I have be to be honest, I had no clue my husband was GYM CREEPING ME with his phone! HA HA But, I am really glad he decided to that day. He texted it to me while I was cooking dinner and I was surprised at how far I have come. For the first time in a long time I saw the woman I was striving so hard to be, Strong and Healthy. He didn’t know what he was really doing at the time but he helped encourage me, and push me to keep moving forward, to always find away to live out one of my passions.

I am going to take these next few blog post to share with you some tips that have helped me stay on top of my workouts with 5 kids and chaos! I hope these tips help you as well, if you are struggling with how to balance it all! I know, because I am doing it!

Beautiful Friend, it is very possible to be a good mother who loves her children and also loves herself. Don’t let yourself believe that if you spend any time on just yourself you are being a selfish bad mom! That is just a lie we have all been told and allow ourselves to believe! It’s very important for them and your husband to love yourself and too take good care of yourself! They will ALL benefit from this tremendously!!

Read FIGHT TO BE THAT MOM HERE!

Check Out my results from FASTED CARDIO HERE!

XOXO

Leigh Leigh

Follow my blog! Subscribe via email, follow me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks or Twitter @ash_leighharris

My Kids are Driving ME CRAZY

Ever have one of these days where you are asking yourself this very question?

Well I have some GOOD NEWS for YOU!

🙂

You can spot children out quickly because like everything you tell them to do, they will completely ignore! (This goes especially for my 4 year olds!)

And we don’t want to leave out the TEENAGERS and all their 5,487….(mood swing’s)

OR the Whining..

and the Tattle tailing every 5 minuets!!!

Dinner time will never be the same…

I mean seriously, I have yet to understand how a four year old can live off of lunch meat every meal….LUNCH MEAT!???????

Mommy TIME OUTS are regular part of your day and you better bet your bottom dollar you will enforce this rule..

But no matter how stressful and tired and run down they may have you feeling today, you can always guarantee some good ol’ love and hugs are in order!

Why?

Because they ABSOLUTELY ADORE YOU!

And this is why we wouldn’t change a thing about motherhood!! 🙂

Motherhood is AWESOME!!! 🙂

I hope this brought a smile to your face!

xoxo

Leigh Leigh

Follow my blog here, and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks , Twitter @ash_leighharris!

I would love to hear some funny Motherhood stories!! Comment bellow!

When it Rains it Pours

Rain…. it’s so unpredictable, uncontrollable, and unavoidable to miss if in it’s path where you are planted.

Rain…..it’s light, it’s heavy, it comes in spurts, or buckets, falls hardily fast or softly slow.

Rain….it’s life giving, renewing, quenching, refreshing, full, and running over, satisfying, yielding to an abundance of growth.

*found on pintrest — * photo found on pintrest

Leviticus 26:4 ESV

Then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

As I am swimming in my very own sea of business, the rain brought relief. RELEIF! Relief of trying to be in three different places at once, the Relief of feeding my family before 8:00pm, a goal that seems so outlandishly accomplishable these days! The Relief of being a busy mother of 5 eating, sleeping, and breathing the balancing act of my children’s sports schedules, work, time with family, time with friends, alone time with my husband, time for myself, and of course exercise (my stress relief outlet).

This past month has been with out much deliverance. I have battled sickness, laid to rest a cousin of the ripe age of 18, experienced heart ache and disappointment, unwarranted DRAMA, set backs, negativity, and plenty of ADJUSTMENTS! Moments of failure and most definitely moments of being insecure in my ability to feel like I have it all under control! It has been a season of difficult times and hard lessons learned. I don’t remember feeling this down and negative in a very long time!

BUT SUDDENLY……….RAIN and lots of it!

In a mater of seconds a night that was to be completely consumed with a volleyball game, pop warner football practice and pictures, and a JV out of town football game……………..abruptly halted to rain cancelations! Completely out of my control. If losing control feels this peaceful then tonight I look up giving thanks and gratitude. Thank you for bringing rain.. peace, rest, relaxation, more time at home with my family, renewal of my energy, my mind.

Thank you Lord for reminding me that in an instant it can all change. Did the world come to an end because everything on Thursday’s agenda did not get completed? No

I am thankful for these Flash Flood Warnings and Watches. I am thankful for every inch that has fallen from the sky and every inch that is expected to fall way into the early morning hours. I am thankful for the sleepless night (last night) due to Loud out burst of Thunder and beautiful flashes of light. Waking up from a dead sleep to sit side by side with my husband in the garage as we marvel over how amazing and magnificent the lightening really is as it brighten the dark purple nights sky. It is now a memory I will hold on to forever.

This Rain has brought me back to what’s most important. Being dependent on something bigger then me, trusting that with my life, and letting go of the control.

* photo found at http://manofdepravity.com/2013/06/jeremiah-29-11/jeremiah-29-11/

As I struggle to keep my head above such active waters I surrender to you as I lay my burdens at your feet. I do trust you Lord and I know that even though the load seems to heavy to carry some days, or in my case not enough time in the day for it all, this is a season that I am in for a reason. A GOOD REASON and a prosperous reason!

We can plan out our whole lives down to the very last detail, but we are only wasting our precious time, efforts, and energy if we are not mindful to keep our relationship with Christ growing. I will admit, my mind has been distracted by life, and often times I felt my spiritual well drying up, like a withered flower on a scorching hot summer day, parched from lack of moisture.

Hosea 6:13 ESV

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Here is to acknowledging my dry soil, taking time to nourish it with God’s love, and expecting lots of colorful, beautiful blooms! This rain is a reminder of God’s love for me, and his desire for me to grow in his love.

I am thankful for all the blessing’s in my life which are disguised as my children who keep me running on my toes like a crazy woman. I just don’t want to loose focus on the one who gave me those blessings! ;0) He deserves my attention, my time, my devotion, my energy, my praise, my worship!

Are you in a dry season or is this a season of overflowing rain and blessings? I would love to know! Comment below if you would like to share! 🙂

XoXo

Leigh Leigh

BACON …dog (recipe your children will love)

Being very short on time these days with various sports activities keeping us out of the home all but one day during the week, meals have become quiet monotonous to say the least! Today I got a wild hair and decided to put a spin on the children’s beloved Hot Dog! Since dear Son was my taste tester I let him name it!

Let me introduce you to the

…………………………………………………BACON DOG!

Things you will need:

1 Package of your favorite hot dog weenies

1 Package of your favorite bacon

1 Package of your favorite shredded cheese

16 tooth picks

1 deep baking pan

Prep time: 7

Bake time: 20-25 minutes

Oven Temperature: 350

Using your knife cut a slit through weenie from top to bottom.

Next, take your shredded cheese and begin to stuff the inside of the weenies with your cheese.

Using both hands poke the bacon with your toothpick at the top of the weenie. Wrap the bacon all the way down the weenie and secure the bacon with another toothpick. I was able to use two toothpicks per weenie.

Now it is time to put these little bacon doggies in the oven. Remember to use a deep baking dish as the bacon grease will be oozing off the bacon as it bakes. I baked mine at 350 for about 23 minuets.

Ta Da! PERFECTION! The Bacon Dog is ready to be dressed up on the hot dog bun!

Now it is time to serve! My son likes his Bacon Dog with Ketchup and extra cheese! I did have chili to put on top, but we didn’t use it tonight!

Top your Bacon Dog to your likening! (mustard, pickle relish, chili, ketchup, extra cheese, onions)

YUMMMMMMMY! Oink Oink, Wuuf Wuuf!

Jett gives it a big Thumbs UP and your kids will TOO!!

Oink and Wuuf!

Leigh Leigh

Don’t forget to follow my blog on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeak.com, subscribe via email, or follow me on Twitter!

Encouragement for the set back you ran into

It’s Friday morning and I just dropped off the last little to school, so you know what this means….I survived the first week of school chaos! WHOOOOOOOOOP! However, it was not without much disappointment but you will have to read on to find out what happened!

I Just wanted to drop a little encouraging note for you on this fabulous day to just keep going!

You see I made my plan, being the control freak that I am, and illness hit! You can’t really control that sort of thing! Last week I was feeling like a Rock Star. I was waking up around 5:10am to go run 1-2 miles, depending on my motivation and the time frame I had to work with. I felt like I was really doing something AWESOME. I was going to be on top of the routine when School started and get use to waking up early! I also too started back at my job. By 5:00pm I was exhausted but making it! No time for rest, only dinners to be made, laundry to be washed, and children to taxi off to practices. I think we made it in the gym two evening last week! Way off from my 4-5 evenings a week over summer! But mind you again, feeling like a Rock Star because my cardio was on! I was even walking in the evenings on a few night with my husband!

I guess stress must have got the best of my immune system..sending me to the doctors office this Monday and leaving with strong antibiotics to swallow for the next seven days! Come Monday morning I was in pain and running wasn’t even going to be an option for me! I became really down and frustrated!!

WHY? I was thinking! Seriously..why get sick now!? I was on my way to making a good habit of getting up to go run before the sun came up, thinking to myself even if I didn’t make it to the weight room, I at least invested some good solid time on myself, my body, my heart, my health. (BUT I REALLY KNOW BETTER THEN THIS!)

Come Thursday morning I was hit on the head with some clarity and of course my whole PERSPECTIVE changed. I was just on my way home from droping off my son at school when the thought just popped up out of no where. I admit I was pretty down and in a bad mood. I was using my running time to pray and listen to my worship music (a nugget of alone time and good conversation with my maker). I knew for one it had to be the Devil trying to interrupt this time I had set aside on purpose. I believe all things happen for a reason and I believe that they are likely for my good if I roll with it and trust God. But wait! What if I was just giving the devil too much credit? Maybe it had nothing to do with evil, but protection?

Maybe I might have twisted my ankle, chased and attacked by crazy dogs, or even worse, struck my a car? I mean I seriously doubt that extreme, but you just never know. Maybe an illness that took me down for 1 week was going to be way better then being down and out for months due to serous injury! I decided in that moment to not look at this week long set back as something negative which was my first instinct, or wasted, but to look at it as an opportunity to appreciate the time I do have and use it wisely, taking full advantage of my youth and my health!

I was telling my husband, we are so blessed and so oblivious to how awesome our bodies operate when we are healthy. Just one little bug, one little cold, one little infection, can cause some serious hang ups and us in lots of pain. We, or I, take my good health for granted every day.

So maybe your like me and something of the sorts like this happened to you this week. The way I see it we both have two options.

We can….

Option #1 Cry about it…and give up!

We can cry about it and feel so sorry for ourselves and question why do these things only always happen to us? I guess I shouldn’t even try, what’s the point, I don’t have time and when I do I just get sick or something else stupid tends to get in the way.

Or, we can….

Option #2 Forget about it and move forward!

Yup, forget about it. Put this week behind us and learn something from it! Learn that each day you are healthy enough to go for a walk or a jog, or play basketball, or bike ride, or work out, move, etc.. just do it! Take full advantage of the body God gave you and put it to good use.

The worst thing we can do is allow ourselves to be stuck in a negative mentality believing we will never change, or have the opportunity to change the way we feel about ourselves.

I for one am not perfect and I don’t make all the perfect healthy choices, but I don’t intend to stay stuck in those bad choices when I slip up and make them out of weakness and lack of self control! Nope, today is a new day! See you later donuts and depression!

I AM OVER NOT GETTING MY WAY!

It’s Zumba at the Y this morning and you better believe I am going to be there!

So what are you going to do today? Are you going to be stuck in your old ways, or is Today a day to try something new?

Same actions get same results!

Love your self, Love your body!

Be Beautiful,

Leigh Leigh

Are you following me on Facebook!? http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks 🙂

Let’s just call you what you are.. A PRETTY LITTLE LIAR

Yes………well you and me both!

I wish I knew statistically how much one actually lies to themselves a day. I did come across an article via the world wide web that explained that the average person will tell 4 fibs a day, with the most common fib to be “I’m fine.” But I have a suspicion that this calculation is based on the lies we actually speak out loud. But what about the ones that we don’t say?

Confused yet? Don’t be.

We defeat our own selves before we even begin.

Example:
“I can’t wear that, I look too fat.”
“I can’t run fast, I have been slow my whole life.”
“I have NO self control, and never will.”
“I can’t find the time.”
“It’s just too hard!”
“No body cares or even understand the struggles I am facing today.”
“No one appreciates anything I do.”
“There is no use in even trying, when I know I am going to fail.”
“There is someone out there better qualified then me, no use in putting in my resume today.”
“I am too old to be trying something new.”
“Other people are going to judge me if I …….”
“My past defines my future.”
“I am not worthy to be loved.”
“My kids probably wished they had a more fun Mom.”
“I can do it tomorrow.”

Get the point I am driving home now? We need to stop being pretty little liars and become pretty little truth tellers. Speak TRUTH into your soul. Speak Truth into your life. Be a blessing to someone else and Speak Truth to others.

I know I am so quick to realize when someone is criticizing their own self and speaking negativity about themselves. Why is it so hard to recognize my own negativity towards myself? I do struggle with this, but I am praying for sensitivity to my own lies I tell myself, so that I can quickly realize it is not the truth, it’s only deception to keep me where I am, not allowing myself to become better.

When you hear someone lying to themselves about themselves to you, STOP THEM IMMEDIATELY!

Speak TRUTH into their lives. Help them realize they are only deceiving themselves.

Ephesians 4:25 states this:
So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. (NIV)

*image found on pic2fly.com

You have ears to listen to what you say, so don’t act like you excused from speaking or thinking lies to yourself, because you are not!

What a man believes in his heart, so he is. ( Proverbs 23:7)

Don’t go turning your heart ugly with your own deception!! 😉

Love yourself!

xoxo

Leigh Leigh

Back to School CHAOS

Confession Alert! I am a CONTROL FREAK! Ugh, and I absolutely HATE being a “Control Freak!”

My summer time routine is about to come crashing down under a title wave of BACK TO SCHOOL CHAOS! This wave will include two Sons participating in football, one daughter cheering and playing volleyball (fingers crossed), me going back to work, and husband taking on more hours at the office due to a project at work. (Calculate the math and you will soon realize this puts me on side line cheering pretty much every night of the week!) This wave will most definitely crush my awesome summer work out routine as well! BUMMER!! You see we have five children ranging from 15 to a 4 years old. I will be trading in my gym time for football time!

When life shifts, my mind tends to shift as well but not the way it should, actually the opposite. I begin to feel this insane amount of pressure to CONTROL every change that is coming my way, or soften the blow for anything hard coming to mix things up. Yes, I try to makes my chaos controlled, if there was really such a thing possible!

It starts with my obsession over my calendar, marking and highlighting every school holiday, every practice, every game. Not all of the sports schedules are out yet causing more anxiety to the obsession! ha

But I got this!? Why you ask, because silly I am SUPERMOM! (Just kidding, Just kidding!)

Actually I got this the same way you got this! The way I see it, we are all in the crazy rat race together.

A new school year brings chaos to all families! So I actually can breath in and breath out, knowing that I am not alone in my Crazy Chaos. This, just like every other busy season in my life will soon pass, and I will be looking ahead to new chaos and wondering the same thing I am wondering now,” HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS ALL AND REMAIN STABLE!?”

Let’s start with finding a healthy balance. Priorities are important when trying to achieve this balance. This balance will also however require more self control and discipline.

Instead of focusing on what I think I am going to be losing in the chaos, I need to remember what all I am actually gaining. Memories with my children who will be grown in a blink of an eye. This year is important for my seven year old! Oh my gosh, his first year ever to play football! And to think, I could be raising the next Tim Tebow! The last year with little Kenna at home with Mommy before she starts the BIG World of Public SCHOOL, tear! My step daughter cheering for the very first time! Something that was just a dream what seems like was just a month ago when she was so small, now her reality. My step son, duking it out on the field in hopes to be able to say he plays Varsity as a Sophomore!

Highlights and heartbreaks, achievements and failures, joy and pain!

These are the years that make our children grow and become stronger little people. I don’t know what this Crazy Chaos of a new year will unravel but I know that through much prayer, mercy, and grace, we will get through it and come out better because of it!

I need to stop living life so afraid and so worried I am going to screw something up!!

Embrace Chaos, the unknown! It changes us, rearranges, and does exactly what the good Lord wills for us all!

XoXo

Leigh Leigh

Brain FREEZE no ICE CREAM NEEDED

Insecurities of writing have paralyzed my fingers from typing.

I (HEART) blogging, but these past few weeks I have been at a complete stand still.

My mind races in the middle of the night with words to tell stories, but I wake with only the remembrance of something great, yet I am just blank.

Life is shifting, creating chaos, unbalance, disorder.

I am evolving as a wife, a mother, a woman, a person.

I am a creature of habit, changes corrupts my stability.
I Love a challenge….. Bring it LIFE.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
When life gives you football games, lots and lots of football games, Cheer Loud.
When life gives you chaos, embrace a change.
When life gives you events, games, practices, appointments, deadlines, make a schedule.

Philippians 4:13

xoxo
Leigh Leigh

follow me on twitter http://www.twitter.com/ash_leighharris or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

*featured image found at http://sweeps.piqora.com/spirithalloween

#mycurrentsituation

Have you ever read this hashtag; #mycurrentsituation on a friends social media sight under one of their pictures?

: #mycurrentsituation Her Daddy is about to have a heart attack in his new truck!

I always get a good laugh out of the ones that pop up in my news feeds because like myself, most of my friends are mothers and so their #mycurrentsituation pictures usually consists of a humongous mess that they are left to clean up! It’s a sympathetic laugh not a mean laugh!!

For instance, you may see a picture of an adorable little girl who looks like she is auditioning to be a clown after playing in Mommy’s makeup while Mommy was busy cleaning house. How about the one with Walls and baby covered in black sharpie? Sometimes there are even photos of big boo boos, and broken or spranged bones.

Maybe it is a bigger situation that requires Immediate Medical Attention, Or maybe it’s so personal, so upsetting, so emotionally damaging and deep you would never hash tag and post a picture of it.

#mycurrentsituation Sick baby girl day before vacation!!

If you are having a #mycurrentsituation that seems to be lingering into what feels like a #mylifesituation, cheer up my friend! Let me encourage you with some words of #TRUTH!! 🙂

Remember time is fleeting! Psalm 89:47

Seasons in life are temporary. 2 Corinthians 4:18

This, whatever you are going through, will soon just be a distant memory.

Human feelings and emotions are fickle.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. ~Proverbs 3:5-6

Our desire to want is way more then our desire to be content with what we have, leaving us unstatisfied and incomplete.

Hold on, trust God, believe in hope, and have a little faith in whatever your #currentsituation may be.

Excuse yourself from being the Healer, Fixer, Mender, Doctor and take your #mycurrentsituation to God. He can clean up any mess that we or anyone else for that matter may have gotten ourselves in today!

xoXO

-Leigh Leigh

Like me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter so we can stay connected! http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks http://www.twitter.com/ash_leighharris

Can you handle this 24 hr challenge?

*image found on facebook

Happy Monday!

Usually on Mondays I like to write something encouraging for the week ahead. I found this picture on my Facebook news feed and the ideas started flying for my blog.

Instead of just going the next 24 hours consciously aware that I’m about to make a 24 hour commitment not to complain, I will document how this challenge will play out! (This will be posted tomorrow, so make sure you come back to see how I do!)

Do you think it’s possible to go 24 hours without complaining on a Monday? 🙂 It’s a Scary challenge!!!

I promise you that I will be honest and if I do slip up, I will let you know.

To prepare my heart for this challenge I will mediate on these words from Philippians 2:14, 15 NIV
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky..”

When we complain we are immediately expressing that we are ungrateful. I know how frustrated I get when I hear my children complain about silly stuff like being bored when they have everything a child could want and more, or complaining because they wanted their bowl of cereal in the blue bowl, not the white bowl. I can only imagine how God must feel when I, myself, complain about the silly things in my life.

When we remember that the world doesn’t just revolve around us, we quickly realize how blessed we are. If you have a warm meal and a hot shower you are blessed beyond your means.

Don’t complain about the mess your kids made in the kitchen, or the 4 hours you are about to spend washing dirty laundry, be thankful you have children.
Don’t complain about your coworkers or your boss, be thankful you are employed and have stability at your work place.
Don’t complain about your circumstances that you can’t change, instead allow this to be a growing season for your character.
Don’t complain about your weight, be thankful for your health and if you are unhappy, change your eating habits.

I once heard when you complain you remain. Why? Because you are allowing your thoughts to stay focused on the negatives and not the positives!

When negative complaints come sneaking up in my heart and traveling up to my mouth I will say these words out loud
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 ESV

So do think you can handle this challenge I present to you on this fabulous Monday?

Do you think I will make it the whole 24 hours or are you betting I slip?
Where is your faith my friend?? 😉
Only time will tell!

If you are taking this challenge please comment below. Or check in with me on Facebook! I could use some encouragement myself! http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks
Or tweet me @ash_leighharris

WE CAN DO THIS!

8:40AM let the games begin!

Big HUGS
-Leigh Leigh

Beautiful Women keep their mouths SHUT!

*image found on Facebook feed

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21 NLT

It’s Monday! You know what that means! We need a little piece of encouragement to move us forward on a positive note for this new week we will journey on.

I actually found this picture on my Facebook feed not too long ago. The instant it caught my eye, I thought to myself, this has to be blogged about and shared! I mean isn’t this so true!?

Wow, this scripture found in Proverbs 18 could not paint a more vivid picture of the one I found on Facebook. We see a fish who has the opportunity to swim past the hook dodging danger by keeping his mouth closed, or the fish could come running towards the bait with mouth wide open ready to seize what he thinks is going to make him feel satisfied and full, happy, and joyful, only to have his whole world turned upside down with destruction or death concluded. How many times have you been in a conversation with another friend and someone who you may have bitter feelings about pops up? Just the sound of that name could become the bait dangling from Satan in front of our little fishes faces. In that moment we want to so desperately begin to open our mouth and let all the ugliness about this person come spewing out in hopes that we convince our friend to take our side, like us more, gain alliance to us, dislike them too, as we spew our insecurities out like a volcano erupting. I use volcano as an analogy because the lava is extremely hot, and damaging, life terminating, to everything it touches. We have now pushed our opinions, hate, bitterness, onto this other person we care about, causing strong influence on their opinion of this other person as well. We cause GREAT DANGER and DEATH when we take the bait of gossiping and devaluing others!

*image found http://amazinggeologist.blogspot.com/

“The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble; the conversation of good people keeps them out of it. Well-spoken words bring satisfaction; well done work has its own reward.” Proverbs 12:13 MSG

The best thing to do, would be to just avoid these “bad/negative” people in our lives during conversation with others. It’s simple, just don’t go there. If they are brought up, simply dodge the topic or skip to another topic of choice. If you can’t change the subject, then just simply don’t respond. The other person will eventually get the hint and move on to another subject. Love covers a multitude of sin, so in saying this, cover their wrong doing to you. You don’t have to tell everyone how nasty they were by going behind your back last week or lying about you. Our friends nor any ones else for that matter really needs to know all this. Why? Because God is all seeing and all knowing. Our enemies can not escape him!! He will take care of them some way or another. So smile, relax, don’t worry, and by all means talk about something good!

*image found on pintrest

“The words of a fool start fights; do him a favor and gag him. Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words. Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?” Proverbs 18:6-8 MSG

I love, love this mental picture! Have you ever ate cheap candy? Cheap chocolate comes to mind. You know the kind that has lost it’s shelf life and is all dried out. Sugarless! Oh my gosh, it’s disgusting isn’t it!? Not only does it taste bad, it lingers with bad after taste in your mouth! Are you seeing the similarities here? Although this scripture is talking about listening to gossip, I think it goes for sharing gossip as well. Just like bad lingering candy, so do our words and gossip we hear. After they flow out of our mouth and heart they make it into someone else’s heart and then later their mouths.

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the moth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45 NIV

So next time Satan lures you in with a big piece of Gossiping bait, don’t be a fool like a fish is! Keep your mouth tight, resist the bait, and swim to SAFTEY! )

*image found at http://opendoor.tv/tongue-power/

We are human and we all are guilty of speaking ill of another person and listening to a friend bash on another. I don’t want this post to bring condemnation to you, but conviction. We all need to be reminded of how damaging words really our to others and ourselves.

This picture on my news feed was a great reminder to me, so I hope it can be a good reminder for you that will bring blessings to your life!

Being a Woman who can keep her mouth shut when it is absolutely the hardest thing you can stand is a BEAUTIFUL thing!

Don’t forget how beautiful you are!

XOXO

-Leigh Leigh

*Follow my blog, Follow Leigh Leigh Speaks on Twitter @ash_leighharris, or Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

It’s MENTAL!!

You have decided that you want to be “that mom”! You know the one with 10 kids and a set of Abs! 🙂 Awesome! Well first things first….

You got to WANT IT and you got to be willing to FIGHT FOR IT!

Be prepared to take CONTROL of your busy life but also be FELXABLE!

YOU CAN DO THIS!!

Words to pray and speak over yourself during the beginning stages of your new journey:

DO NOT BE AFRAID!!

Sharing is Caring!

It’s Monday which means it’s time for some Encouragement to get you through your week!

When your passion is in something specific and your will to see it through is strong enough, you will make a way! You will!

Sharing is Caring!

Ever have one of these days where you are asking yourself this very question?

Well I have some GOOD NEWS for YOU!

You can spot children out quickly because like everything you tell them to do, they will completely ignore! (This goes especially for my 4 year olds!)

And we don’t want to leave out the TEENAGERS and all their 5,487….(mood swing’s)

OR the Whining..

and the Tattle tailing every 5 minuets!!!

Dinner time will never be the same…

I mean seriously, I have yet to understand how a four year old can live off of lunch meat every meal….LUNCH MEAT!???????

Mommy TIME OUTS are regular part of your day and you better bet your bottom dollar you will enforce this rule..

But no matter how stressful and tired and run down they may have you feeling today, you can always guarantee some good ol’ love and hugs are in order!

Why?

Because they ABSOLUTELY ADORE YOU!

And this is why we wouldn’t change a thing about motherhood!! 🙂

Motherhood is AWESOME!!! 🙂

I hope this brought a smile to your face!

xoxo

Leigh Leigh

Sharing is Caring!

Rain…. it’s so unpredictable, uncontrollable, and unavoidable to miss if in it’s path where you are planted.

Rain…..it’s light, it’s heavy, it comes in spurts, or buckets, falls hardily fast or softly slow.

Rain….it’s life giving, renewing, quenching, refreshing, full, and running over, satisfying, yielding to an abundance of growth.

Leviticus 26:4 ESV

Then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

BUT SUDDENLY……….RAIN and lots of it!

Thank you Lord for reminding me that in an instant it can all change. Did the world come to an end because everything on Thursday’s agenda did not get completed? No

This Rain has brought me back to what’s most important. Being dependent on something bigger then me, trusting that with my life, and letting go of the control.

* photo found at http://manofdepravity.com/2013/06/jeremiah-29-11/jeremiah-29-11/

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Here is to acknowledging my dry soil, taking time to nourish it with God’s love, and expecting lots of colorful, beautiful blooms! This rain is a reminder of God’s love for me, and his desire for me to grow in his love.

I am thankful for all the blessing’s in my life which are disguised as my children who keep me running on my toes like a crazy woman. I just don’t want to loose focus on the one who gave me those blessings! ;0) He deserves my attention, my time, my devotion, my energy, my praise, my worship!

Are you in a dry season or is this a season of overflowing rain and blessings? I would love to know! Comment below if you would like to share! 🙂

Sharing is Caring!

Let me introduce you to the

…………………………………………………BACON DOG!

1 Package of your favorite hot dog weenies

1 Package of your favorite bacon

1 Package of your favorite shredded cheese

16 tooth picks

1 deep baking pan

Prep time: 7

Bake time: 20-25 minutes

Oven Temperature: 350

Using your knife cut a slit through weenie from top to bottom.

Next, take your shredded cheese and begin to stuff the inside of the weenies with your cheese.

Using both hands poke the bacon with your toothpick at the top of the weenie. Wrap the bacon all the way down the weenie and secure the bacon with another toothpick. I was able to use two toothpicks per weenie.

Now it is time to put these little bacon doggies in the oven. Remember to use a deep baking dish as the bacon grease will be oozing off the bacon as it bakes. I baked mine at 350 for about 23 minuets.

Ta Da! PERFECTION! The Bacon Dog is ready to be dressed up on the hot dog bun!

Now it is time to serve! My son likes his Bacon Dog with Ketchup and extra cheese! I did have chili to put on top, but we didn’t use it tonight!

Top your Bacon Dog to your likening! (mustard, pickle relish, chili, ketchup, extra cheese, onions)

YUMMMMMMMY! Oink Oink, Wuuf Wuuf!

Jett gives it a big Thumbs UP and your kids will TOO!!

Sharing is Caring!

It’s Friday morning and I just dropped off the last little to school, so you know what this means….I survived the first week of school chaos! WHOOOOOOOOOP! However, it was not without much disappointment but you will have to read on to find out what happened!

We can….

Option #1 Cry about it…and give up!

We can cry about it and feel so sorry for ourselves and question why do these things only always happen to us? I guess I shouldn’t even try, what’s the point, I don’t have time and when I do I just get sick or something else stupid tends to get in the way.

Or, we can….

Option #2 Forget about it and move forward!

Yup, forget about it. Put this week behind us and learn something from it! Learn that each day you are healthy enough to go for a walk or a jog, or play basketball, or bike ride, or work out, move, etc.. just do it! Take full advantage of the body God gave you and put it to good use.

The worst thing we can do is allow ourselves to be stuck in a negative mentality believing we will never change, or have the opportunity to change the way we feel about ourselves.

I AM OVER NOT GETTING MY WAY!

Same actions get same results!

Sharing is Caring!

Yes………well you and me both!

We defeat our own selves before we even begin.

Don’t go turning your heart ugly with your own deception!! 😉

Sharing is Caring!

Confession Alert! I am a CONTROL FREAK! Ugh, and I absolutely HATE being a “Control Freak!”

But I got this!? Why you ask, because silly I am SUPERMOM! (Just kidding, Just kidding!)

I am a creature of habit, changes corrupts my stability.
I Love a challenge….. Bring it LIFE.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
When life gives you football games, lots and lots of football games, Cheer Loud.
When life gives you chaos, embrace a change.
When life gives you events, games, practices, appointments, deadlines, make a schedule.

When negative complaints come sneaking up in my heart and traveling up to my mouth I will say these words out loud
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 ESV

Do you think I will make it the whole 24 hours or are you betting I slip?
Where is your faith my friend?? 😉
Only time will tell!