FINALLY, an Orange Santa group photo..

Sorry it's taken so long! This past month and a half has been nuts! Here is a group shot of some of the volunteers with our church, our community, the Police Dept. and the Fire Dept. The outpoor of generosity from our community was simply amazing! We were able to help over 70 families and over 200 children here in Hutto have a very Merry Christmas. I still get the chills as I type this and reflect on those last couple of weeks before Christmas. It all came and went so fast!

We raised money through 2 main fundraisers. One was Olde Tyme Christmas in Hutto which is where we set up a booth for photos with Santa and had volunteers that are involved with Resonate as well as 5-6 students from Hutto High School too. It was freezing and I was completely amazed with those teenagers and their sweet little hearts! We also partnered with McDonald's and did photos with Santa there too! We created and sent out flyers to all the schools in Hutto announcing the event and had a terrific turnout! Once again, the willingness to be part of this and help from the volunteers, McDonalds employees and managers was just GREAT! We also set up donation jars at local restaurants, stores, and businesses, and had teams of volunteers calling and visiting local businesses picking up donations too. It was a hard year for many people, but they still were able to give somehow . . . again, totally amazing! Our team also split up sharing the responsiblity of picking up at the different drop off locations, refreshing Orange Santa applications at the schools and never mind the shopping for gifts, all day and night wrapping, baking treats, ordering pizzas . . . the outpoor was so WONDERFUL! People volunteered that aren't members of Resonate but just wanted to invest and be part of such a great community event. It was so refreshing, and almost like a dream come true for me, the whole experience.

I didn't grow up in a family that was involved in our schools and community. I had friends whose parents were like that and always promised myself that when I became a wife and mother, that would be me. I would be part of a community, make my children proud to have a mom that knows what's going on around us, a mom that has a presence in the schools and community events, and a mom that can set an example of giving outside of just your family.

And to put it simply, Resonate has provided the avenue to help me make that happen.

A Happy Brain

So I was watching 20/20 last night titled, The Pursuit of Happiness. I've thought about how to blog about it because it was totally amazing to watch. Do I talk about how I've been stressed and how it was CRAZY that we just happened to click it on right after it had started and IT WAS SO WHAT I NEEDED? Do I talk about the Science of Happiness and how cool it is to see the brain respond while wearing a skull cap containing 128 sensors and discovering how your parents and your childhood have SO MUCH to do with your happiness physiologically as an adult? Talk about Antidepressants and how they don't make you happier, but just decrease negative emotion? OR, do I talk about "Intentional Happiness"? Well, I think you know what I'm choosing to write about! LOL

What caught my attention the most was a phrase that "People can indeed force themselves to be truly happier" Scientists have studies and said that "50 percent of our happiness -- or unhappiness -- can be traced to our genes. Adding the 40 percent that we can control with our daily thoughts and actions still leaves about 10 percent unaccounted for. This remaining 10 percent is related to our life circumstances, such as where we live, how much money we have, our marital status, and how we look. " It amazed me to watch the stories of people who won the lottery, got extreme makeovers and STILL went back into the same mode they were in before those fortunate circumstances.

As I watched this episode, all I could think about was our Church and our group of friends. I've realized that what I was watching, I am also living! Happiness IS intentional, you DO have to think it to BE it. You have to be intentional with your thoughts and your actions. But MOST importantly, you need COMMUNITY, you need people who are like you, people you can share life with and relate to, people who make you feel like it's okay to be you and you will still be loved. If you give the love, you will receive it. If you exude happiness, you will receive happiness. It's contagious, especially happiness and love . . . we all want it, we all crave it and it feels so good to receive it that you can't help but feel compelled to give it! Now saying all of this and reading the Bible, I can't help but to see ALL THE PARALLELS to Christ's message! I never would have been able to connect those dots a year ago but now it's almost reinforcing for me and makes me believe it more. It's easy to be depressed, it's easy to sit back and feel sorry for yourself, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by financial struggle, family struggles, lost friendships, broken hearts and hurt feelings. Sure that's all easy and I think that is when Satan attacks. I don't like to think like that and I hear people refer to the enemy all the time and although I don't necessarily talk like that or use the same lingo, I had a conversation with Chris asking if he believes that is true. Does he believe that Satan can sway your mind and your decision making and for some reason he made me feel okay with believing that. I don't like to think about something that I cannot see having control over anything I do or think. I feel like I should be responsible for all of my thoughts and actions and I do believe that I am. But, I do also believe that when you aren't intentionally trying to be strong, positive and happy then you are vulnerable to the attack on your spirit, express it anyway you'd like, you still feel like you're losing and you're weak. I know now that God doesn't make you feel weak, when you are walking in the Spirit, feeling positive, loving and happy, there is NO ROOM for negativity.

After watching last night's episode, I am determined to focus more on that and appreciate the friends I have that always put a smile on their faces, even if it's forced at times, because those smiles are contagious and I know I NEED them so I'm sure those around me need them from me too. I know I'm a strong person, loving and friendly and when I feel like this, THIS IS FULFILLMENT!

Thanks 20/20 for putting a scientific spin on happiness, put that together with spiritual happiness, now that is one heck of a life to live! :)

The End of a LOOOONNNNNNGGG Birthday Weekend!

Tonight officially has ended my 4 DAY, yes I said "4" Day BIRTHDAY WEEKEND! That was definitely a first for me! Friday night was my girls only slumber party, Saturday night was a quiet and delicious dinner with Chris, Sunday was spent having cake and wine with my family and in-laws , and tonight was "FRIED TURKEY" with our friends Brandon and Cindy. Before I go off on a rant, OH MY GOSH!!!!! I NEVER had turkey that tasted THAT GOOD!!!! Wow, you've just gotta try it, wow!!!! Cindy even went out of her way to not have any extra carbs, made double veggies and skipped dessert, gotta love her. :)

This is the first time in a LONG time that I felt like my birthday lasted forever!!! Well, it really did last for a LONG time and I was spoiled by everyone! I was even put to sleep last night (my actual birthday) by my sister's Deluxe Pedicure, uh "heaven"! Adrianna woke up this morning sad saying, "It's not your birthday anymore mommy?" Is there any cake left? She was so cute yesterday and so proud to come home with Pink Roses and the cake mix for the cake that she and daddy made for me. I went out shopping with my sister for a few hours, Bed Bath & Beyond and Bath & Bodyworks with only $.97 of my money spent, LOVE those gift cards! When I got home, the house smelled of chocolate cake and Adrianna ran up to me with her homemade card, all the writing done on her own, she was SO PROUD and so was I of course. I spent this morning thinking of how lucky I am to have the people I have in my life that one year ago, I did not. Tomorrow is one of our Leadership Meetings for Resonate and I must say that I'm very excited to be jumping back into Church activities, LTG's, Community Events, etc. after the crazy holiday season. My small ladies group will be beginning the book of James this week and I can't wait.

It's a SLUMBER PARTY!!!

Yes, that's right...my friends are throwing me a "SLUMBER PARTY" for mommies only!! NO KIDS ALLOWED, LOL!

I can't believe they arranged this for tomorrow night to celebrate my birthday! We will be snacking, sipping on Strawberry Bellinis, watching Chick Flicks, maybe doing a little Dance Revolution, painting our nails and anything else our hearts desire!

I CAN'T WAIT!!!! We are all showing up at Erika's in our pj's ready to gab, snack and be goofy! The Daddy's are flying solo tomorrow night. Erika is even making Kyle and Kylie go out for a sleepover away from the house for the night, LOL!

I feel like a teenager instead of a "Thirty-Something" year old woman . . . it's GREAT and you know I'm laughing as I type this. Tomorrow is the start of a birthday weekend for me. Saturday will be dinner with my husband and Sunday will be spent having cake with the family, since that's my actual birthday. How lucky am I to have a "Birthday Weekend"?!?!?!

On an entirely different note, I am going to start blogging next week about some amazing recipes I am experimenting with for the kids from Jessica Seinfeld's book "Deceptively Delicious" and they are WORKING! The kids still get served their side of whatever veggie we are eating but little do they know their mac & cheese has pureed cauliflower and sweet potato in there too! HA! I haven't pureed this many veggies since Adrianna was born! Lord knows I didn't make babyfood for baby number 2. He hated pureed food anyway, little stinker. He's my picky one unfortunately!!! My Magic Bullet from Santa is hard at work this week and I will start of by saying it's a MUST HAVE!!! LOVE IT!

2007, A Year in Review

2007

What a WONDERFUL YEAR!

Here's our year in review. . .

Christopher went for his first haircut 1/07
Christopher started walking in 2/07
Adrianna turned 4 in February!

Christopher had his first "Easter Morning"!
Morning of Christopher's FIRST BIRTHDAY!Adrianna had her FIRST Dance Recital (sick and all, she still wanted to go!) 5/07


We went to Daddy's WhichWich? Sunset Valley Opening all Decked Out! 6/07
Adrianna had her first "Slumber Party" with her cousin Bella 6/07Adrianna went to Vacation Bible School for the first time! 7/07

We visited out local Fire & Police Stations, met both the Fire Chief & Police Chief! Summer 07

We went on our FIRST FAMILY VACATION out of the state to Disney World!!!! 9/07
Christopher went Trick or Treating with his Adrianna,Kylie and Kat!
Thanksgiving Dinner

Christmas

My Sister and her little dog Scooter moved to Texas with US!!!!!!! YAYYYYYYY

And last but not least. . . the new additions to our lives in 2007
Ryan Matthew 3/2007

Kathryn Finley 8/2007
Avery Elizabeth 9/2007
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Results of My Friends

Okay my friend/family results are...

Chris: ISFJ The Defender
Beni (my sis): INTJ The Strategist
Cat: ENTJ The Chief
Erika: ESFJ The Supporter/Protector
Kyle: INTJ The Strategist
Cindy: ESFJ The Supporter/Protector
Brandon: ISTJ The Examiner
Sabrina: ESTP The Pursuader
Jon: ESFP The Entertainer
Sonya: ENFJ The Mentor
Ruth: ENFP The Advocate
Jay: ENFJ The Mentor

Come on guys...let me add some more names!

Wow, as I keep adding I realize how lucky I am to have such diversity among my friends!!! :)

My Personality Results

I was talking this morning to Ruth about the personality test I blogged about and realized I only looked at the chart and was too "busy" to look more into it, says something about my "personality" already, LOL!

Anyway, here are the facts about Gina! :)

ENTJ - The "Chief"

ENTJs are strategic, organized and possess natural leadership qualities. They are master coordinators that can effectively give direction to groups. They are able to understand complicated organizational situations and quick to develop intelligent solutions. ENTJs are outspoken and will not hesitate to speak of their plans for improvement. They are decisive and value knowledge, efficiency and competence.

"ENTJs contribute a wealth of energy directed toward the goals and those of the organization. Their sense of identity is closely tied to how they carry out their responsibilities. They are curious about new ideas and theories, evaluating them in terms of their goals. They are very efficient, competitive, strategic, and task focused."

"leader, ambitious, hard working, dominant, prepared, hates to be bored, confident, opinionated, analytical..."

Real ENTJ People

Al Gore - former American Vice President Benny Goodman - Jazz musician Bill Gates - Microsoft Founder Candace Bergen - actress (Murphy Brown) Dave Letterman - TV show host, comedian Edward Teller - theoretical physicist Franklin D. Roosevelt - American President Harrison Ford - actor (Indiana Jones)

Jim Carrey - actor, comedian Margaret Thatcher - British Prime Minister Newt Gingrich - Speaker of the House Patrick Stewart - actor (Star Trek's "Cpt. Picard") Richard Nixon - American President Sigourney Weaver - actress Steve Martin - actor, comedian Whoopi Goldberg - actress, comedian

ENTJ Career Matches

ENTJs are often happy with the following jobs which tend to match well with the Chief/Intellectual personality.

Business Administrator Computer Consultant Corporate Executive Officer Entrepreneur

Judge Lawyer/Attorney Manager Mortgage Banker

Politician Scientist Systems Analyst Teacher/Professor

(WHERE'S SAHM ON THERE? MAYBE THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO "ENTREPENEUR"! HA!)

Details . . . . . . . . . .

Preferences

Extraverted

iNtuition

Thinking

Judging

Temperament
NT (Intellectual)

ENTJ Population
Total: 3%
Male: 4.5%
Female: 1.5%

Primary Function

Extraverted Thinking

Secondary Function

Introverted Intuition

Tertiary Function

Extraverted Sensing

Least Function

Introverted Feeling

Well there I am on PAPER! I know some people HATE to be "labeled" by their personality type, since it's ever so revolving as we age and mature. But it is very helpful to get a better understanding of where people are coming from. You are able to see things a little more clearly more than going based on YOUR feelings or perceptions of what the other person is like or the reasons you think they do something or react in a certain way.

I took a disc personality test and initially loved it! Loved the results until I questioned them based on other peoples thoughts or ideas. But here as I do another one of these tests and get pretty much the same results just explained a little differently, WOW it's so motivating for me! I do love to lead, I do feel fulfilled when I'm doing what I love and believe in. And I love that my friends and family are motivated by me and don't think I'm just a neurotic person who can't ever relax! I am who I am, but am always open to enhancing some of my weaker parts of me! And being a mom, and growing daily in my relationship with God, those two things alone are building that part of me that takes a little bit of a back seat to "getting the job done" but as they develop within me, WATCH OUT!

As my 30-something birthday approaches in a week I am realizing more and more how fulfilling my life is and how much I've grown since being "open" and "less selfish" , more opportunities have risen, more "good" people have been brought into my life, and I've experienced more "success" than I ever have. It's amazing what maturity can do for a person, not just age or emotionally but spiritually too!

I'd love to hear some of my friends' results so send them along to me!
xo