Happy Brain-boosting-Wednesday!!!

Here's your middle-of-the-week brain booster!!!

Have you ever wondered WHY a marathon is 26 miles???? Not 25 miles? Not 30 miles, buuuuuuuuuut 26 miles??? I mean, if you ask me, that seems SUPERRRR RANDOM!!! Soooooooo to be honest with you all, I've never really had a desire to run a marathon...I mean...THATS A LOT!!! 

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 Now, since my weight loss journey in the last several years, (weeeeeellll my WHOLE LIFE has pretty much been A WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY, I mean literally, for as long as I can remember, even back to 3rd grade, I've been TRYING to lose weight,) buuuuuuuut to clarify, after my weight loss surgery in 2016, I've really gotten into a lot of new physical activities that I never thought I would want to be involved in, hiking, boxing, weight lifting, hiking, bicycling, HIKING, walking ANNNNND 5k races. Now I NEVERRRRR thought I was going to be into all this stuff before hand, I always thought I wasn't that kind of person, buuuuuuuuuut turns out I was WRONG...I just needed to lose another 100+ pounds to realize this. 

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Sooooooo STILL, I don't think i'll change my mind but running a marathon, buuuuuuuuut who's to say what will happen over the years as I strive to reach more and more physical goals, with that being said, back to the point, WHY IS A MARATHON 26 MILES???

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Me at my 5k Leftovers Run!!! 

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"Did you know???..."

Why a marathon race run is called a marathon???

Sooooooooooo I did some research and came up with some interesting info!!!! Not only can I tell you WHY it's 26 miles I can tell you WHY it's called a MARATHON!!! Sooooooooo long story short, In a nod to Greek history, the first marathon commemorated the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield near the town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C. According to legend, Pheidippides ran the approximately 25 miles to announce the defeat of the Persians to some anxious Athenians. Not quite in mid-season shape, he delivered the message "Niki!" (Victory!) then keeled over and died. 
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Sooooooo it's called MARATHON, because the runner ran from the town of Marathon Greece to Athens Greece, hence the name, annnnnnnnnd the original marathon WAS 25 miles because that's about how far he ran. HOWEVERRRR, THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND, changed all that...

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 As the story goes, Queen Alexandra requested that the race start on the lawn of Windsor Castle (so the littlest royals could watch from the window of their nursery, according to some accounts) and finish in front of the royal box at the Olympic stadium—so they, the royals could see better...a distance that happened to be 26.2 miles (26 miles and 385 yards)…

. Which I, MARY FRANCES GINTY, think was a very RUDE AND SELFISH REQUEST OF THE QUEEN!!! 

.*Insert eye roll

*Insert eye roll

I mean, the soldier Pheidippides, fell down and DIED after running the first marathon everrrrr, and the queen is just like, oh, can you change the miles so we can have a better view of the race??? Oh, soooo sorry QUEEN, how inconvenient for you, sure, lets just change everything so you can see better...LIIIIIIIKE WOW!!! 

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If anyone would like to start a petition with me to change the marathon BACK to 25 miles to honor the soldier, feel free to email me! I mean, don't you think we should honor him and keep the 25 mile marathon as tribute to this brave soldier that DROPPPED DEAD after running it??? Liiiiiiiiiiike HELLLLLLLOOOO!!! 

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"Did you know???..."

"...Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllll NOW YOU DO, annnnnnnnnd don't you FORGET IT!!!" (AIO BTV quote;)

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♥Mary Frances :)

P.S. IF they change the marathon BACK to 25 miles, I WILL run/jog/powerwalk/crawl/drag myself over the finish line in completion, as an honor and tribute to that first soldier that ran it!!! Buuuuuut emphasis on IF!!! hee, hee!!! ;)

LPC Ladies Cookie Exchange 2018

Soooooooooo catching you all up to our annual ladies cookie exchange!!! In the holiday spirit and to add a little extra SPAZZ to our Cookie exchange, I add in a CHRISTMAS FASHION CONTEST!!! 

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There are several categories, for the adults it's THE MERRIEST AND THE CLASSIEST, for the kid's it's LITTLE MISS MERRY, you get a sash and a fun gift, usually a little something Kate Spadeish...Hee, hee!!! ANNNNNND...This year I made a new rule, you can't vote for me!!!

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Denae said that wasn't fair, buuuuuuuuuut, I'm not gonna give myself a gift I bought, that's just WIERD annnnnnnnd the contest is for fun and encouraging everyone else to get dressed up!!! I'm a very festive person and pretty much any day of the week in December, i'd probably be festive annnnnnd READ TO WINNNN, buuuuuuuuuut seeing everyone else be festive is a prize enough for me!!! 

Buuuuuuuuuuuut check out my UGLY Christmas sweater, it's Santa TRYING to fit down the chimney, and it says, THE STRUGGLE IS REAL!!! Get it?!?! AHAHAHA!!! It's only funny if a fluffy person is wearing it, its just not the same on a thin person!!! LOL 

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ANNNNNNNNNNND THE VOTED WINNERS WERE...

LITTLE MISS MERRY

GRACE GREENBANK!!!

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THE MERRIEST

Sister Bella!!!

She had duck tape over her mouth that said: SILENT NIGHT!!!

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THE CLASSIEST

JANELLE KARLSON!!!

Janelle wasn't actually going for THE CLASSIEST section, she was aiming for THE MERRIEST, buuuuuuuut whatevs, she'll take her Kate Spade travel coffee mug, because, heeeeeey FREE IS FREE annnnnnnnd FREE IS MY FRIEND'S LOVE LANGUAGE!!! BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!! Also, we were laughing cuz she said she wore THE SAME outfit last year and didn't win, I said it was the added baby bump this year, it just made ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!!

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PW OF THE YEAR

SISTER ABBOTT

(Of course!)

Also, I told a really funny story before I awarded her, her award...I'll have to do a separate post explaining to you all, WHY Sister Abbott got THE PW of the year award!!! HEE, HEE!!!

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THE HANDSOMEST 

I'm sure Little O will be our Little Man at the Ladies Cookie exchange every year!!! 

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Heeeeeeeeey at least they're were NO GROWN men that came this year. LAST YEAR, Idk how but some of our guests didn't seem to get the memo that, THE LADIES COOKIE EXCHANGE was ONLY FOR LADIES!!! We were all very awkward about it, the HILARIOUS PART was, he sooooooooo wasn't!!! He just sat there with his wife eating and stuff...My main complaint was that he was MARRIED...I mean...IF YOUR GONNA BRING A MAN...can we let the awkwardness be the hope for SOMEONE??? AHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!

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Oh and SPECIAL THANKS TO DENAE FOR FLYING IN SPECIAL FOR THE LADIES COOKIE EXCHANGE....it just wouldn't be the same!!! 

ME WANT COOOOOOKIES!!!!

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YEEEEES I AM!!

If you guys haven't gotten your copies yet of The Blackaard Choronicles, get it NOW!!! Annnnnnnnnnnd IF you happen to LOOOOOOOOVE AIO, check out this post my good friend from Tulsa wrote, SHE FINISHED Mrs. Kramer's poem of 100 Things I hate!!! It's EPIC!!! You can NOT MISS IT!!! 

♥Mary Frances :)

Happy Monday!!!

Me in my snowman cap at the top of Squaw Peak,  total elevation gain is 1,190 feet. Get it guys??? Snowcapped mountain, ANNNNNND I'M WEARING MY SNOWCAP, literally making it a SNOWCAPPED MOUNTIAN!!!  AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

♥Mary Frances :)
P.S. We may have horrible summers, BUUUUUUUUT we have THE AWESOMEST WINTERS...Don't be jelly...we'll be even by April!!! 😝

That awkward moment WHEN...#248566234444

Thaaaaaaaaaaat awkward moment when your out hiking and you go to take a selfie ANNNNNNNNNNNND...

YOU SEE A JAVELINA PHOTO BOMBING IN THE BACKGROUND!!! 

Yeah, I kinda-sorta- you know, FREAKED OUT!!! 

WHAT IS A JAVELINA???

For those of you non-Arizonans, we ususally just think of them as wild pigs...buuuuuuuuut the technical term: The collared peccary, commonly known as the javelina, is found as far south as Argentina and as far north as Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Collared peccaries are in the even-toed, hoofed mammal order of Artiodactyla. Javelinas are mistaken for pigs, but they are in a different family than pigs. 

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Look at how well they blend into the desert bushes...crazy how God did that for THEM!!! Not too awesome for me tho!!! LOL It was the coolest new trail I found to Sunrise Peak in Scottsdale, buuuuuuuuuuuut I was all alone on the trail and the kinda scared me, Javelinas don't really attack unless they are in a pack, buuuuuuuuuut who's to say they're weren't more nearby! 

Anywayz, I didn't complete the hike, soooooooo it's currently on my list for the week...Javelinas or NOT....I will NOT be a sissy about it...I WILL BE BRAVE!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

2018 BIG GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENT!!!

Soooooooooooo my big, big, big, BIIIIIIIIIIG ACOMPLISHMENT FOR 2018 is this....

(This was the pic I took in that official moment)

I'm DEEEEEEEEEEEEEBT FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

I NEVERRRR dreamed at the beginning of the year that I would actually have accomplished this goal....It is SUCH A HUGE RELIEF!!!! Every once in a while I'm just like, HEEEEEEY, I'M DEBT FREE!!! Seriously such a HUGE DEAL!!!! 

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Special thanks to 1. God 2. My sis for praying for financial blessings for me and 3. A bro that locked up ALLLLLLLLL my shopping apps...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

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I paid off my last bill in mid- November...When I called up the company they were like, you need to verify that this is you...I'm liiiiiiiiike WHY???? I'm paying OFF MY DEBT....LIIIIIIIIIIIIKE...

Anywayz, I just wanna say that I did it AWITHOUT THE HELP OF DAVE RAMSEY!!! No offense to him...I think I may end up using his budgeting app!

SOOOOOOOOOOO LETS GO SHOPPING!!!!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...JUUUUUUUUUUUST KIDDING!!!! 

I'm saving up for something, very , very, very, very, very AWESOME!!! It's something I've wanted since I was 4-years-old...IF YOU KNOW ME...then you'll know what that is!!! I'll let share that with you all in another post...buuuuuuuuuuuut...what do YOU THINK IT IS??? 

maryfranceswriting@gmail.com
♥Mary Frances :)

December Update!!!

December started off with HIKING!!!

Tried the Cookie butter latte...

My lil Christina!!!

My Deedee!!!

November update!!!

November started off with WESAT COAST.....

Latte Art!!!

JOY RIDE!!!

October Update!!!

October started with my sister's birthday...which meant we went to as many Dutch Brother's as possible to get free drinks!!!! 

We then went to Denny's for breakfast...

Annnnnnnnd got in some shopping....My sister's favorite store...KATE SPADE!!!

Rustler's Rooste for her birthday dinner!!!

Christmas BUSYNESS!!!

You guys, I am sooooooooo SORRY for the lack of blogging, buuuuuuuuuuuut…

I GOT A BIKE FOR CHRISTMAS!!!! 

From the big sis!!!

With there being such AMAAAAAZING weather in Arizona right now, I spend almost all of my free time outdoors...Hiking, running, walking and now biking...I very much enjoy being active and outdoors as much as possible while the weather is good...IF ONLY I COULD ROLLER SKATE, buuuuut alas I am a KLUTZ...annnnnnnnd I am scared that if I DID TRY to learn I would break a bone and then I'd be stuck DOING NOTHING while it healed, I would absolutely go crazy not being able to anything!!! 

 Anywayz, isn't my bike ADORABLE??? It's yellow cruiser WITH A BASKET IN FRONT!!! I plan on filling the basket with flowers, getting pegs in the back to give rides and I also need to get a bike carrier for my car, a biking skirt since I only have one dress thus far that has managed to be modest, annnnnnnnnnd I think that's it!!!

Re-hiked this mountain this week, this was the FIRST big mountain I ever hiked, MY HOW MUCH EASIER it was this time

This next week I want to get in Squaw Peak, North Mountain annnnnnnnd MAAAAAYBE Camelback, then on Saturday, Little O and I are going to do another run...THE PIZZA RUN!!! 

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OH, speaking of Running,  THAT REMINDS ME...

MY LAST 5k  RUN I got down to 46 minutes!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Happy Brain-Boosting Wednesday!!! (RSVP)

Here's your middle-of-the-week brain booster!!!

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Have you ever wonder what RSVP stands for?

I mean, we say it all the time when we send out invites for something, buuuut what does it mean??? Randomly, I was asking everyone around church and no one really knew...NOT EVEN STULTZ...no one agreed with MY interpretation of it being Respond Soon Very Please...OKAAAAAAAAY WHY NOT??? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!
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WEEEEEELLLL, I decided that when I got home I would do a little research and be the one to INFORM all my unenlightened fellow church members of WHAT RSVP stands for. (This is pretty much the norm for me at my church...I'm always up to SOMETHING!!! LOL) 
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Soooooooooooo I went home and researched it and when I looked it up, I INSTANTLY KNEW WHY know one knows what RSVP STANDS for....I was soooooo pleased with myself...First person I would impress with my new-found knowledge would be Mr-almost-has-his-masters-degree-himself...YES, you guessed it, STULTZ!!!
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I was like, JONATHON!!! I know WHY we don't know what RSVP STANDS FOR...before I could EVEN INFORM HIM...because it's NOT in English...I was like, UGH! You juuuuuust had TO LOOK IT UP TOO???? You just COULD'T LET ME, Little-Miss-No-Degree, BE THE ONE TO INFORM YOU??? UGH!!!
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Anyways, let me inform YOU ALL...now don't go running to your dictionary encyclopedia GOOGLE for this before I tell you, JUST LET ME BE THE ONE TO TELL YOU ALL OKAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY??? OK!!! 

"Did you know???..."

That RSVP MEANS

Répondez s'il vous plaît

RSVP is a process for a response from the invited person or people. It is an initialism derived from the French phrase Répondez s'il vous plaît, meaning "Please respond" to require confirmation of an invitation. Actually, somewhere else it says that Literally, « s'il vous plaît » means "if it pleases you".   Sooooooo RSVP translates into RESPOND IF IT PLEASES YOU...I'm not cool with that...I think it should mean, PLEASE RESPOND OR ELSE YOUR ANNOYING THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME AND IF YOU DO COME WITHOUT RESPONDING THERE WON"T BE ANY FOOD FOR YOU!!

"...Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllll NOW YOU DO, annnnnnnnnd don't you FORGET IT!!!" (AIO BTV quote;)

Thank you all for letting ME be THE ONE to inform you all of that...hee, hee!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

A Ginty Thanksgiving 2018!!!

Happy Brain-boosting Wednesday!!!

It's your middle-of-the-week-brain-booster!!!

"Did you know???..."

Lightening is five times hotter than the sun!!!

"...Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllll NOW YOU DO, annnnnnnnnd don't you FORGET IT!!!" (AIO BTV quote;)

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Duuuuuuuude...you guys, lets BE LIGHTENING!!!!

I'm talking SPIRITUALLY...

of course!!! ;)

♥Mary Frances :)

Play & Pray 2018!!!

You know its gonna be a good trip when it starts off with kids barfing annnnnnnd ends with MORE barfind and kids getting tissue stuck in their nose!!! BAHAHAHAAAA!!!

Not much studying ACTUALLY happening for Stultz on the drive there!!!

Happy CATCH UP WEEK!!!

Sooooo i decided that this week should be dedicated to CATCHING UP on my blog!!! I wanna end the year ALL CAUGHT UP...soooooo this is looking like the overview...

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Play and Pray!

October Update!!!

November Update!!!

A Ginty Thanksgiving

LPC Ladies Cookie Exchange

Stultz's College grad/party/Disneyland (buuuuuuuuut that may not be til NEXT WEEK!!!) 

Hope you can KEEP UP!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Self-Checkout!!!

IF I HAD been the brilliant mind that invented self-checkout lanes...

they would soooooooooo...

 have mirrors!!!

Get it??? Self-CHECK OUT???

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

OMW!!! I'M JUST TOO FUNNNY!!!

BAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

The player!!!

Have you ever met someone, that you found attractive and you thought there was a connection between the two of you? You talked and you felt there was a mutal interest, you felt an attraction, you thought from the conversation that something would develop between the two of you only to find out, the other person, was JUST A PLAYER!!!

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What is a player??? 

A player is a slang term that describes a man (Or woman) who toys with the emotions of a person (oftentimes many individuals at the same time) when they really are not at all serious about pursuing a real relationship or making a commitment with you, yet leading you to believe they will. They talk to you one day, then the next day they ignore you. "I'll see you in a few weeks!" Buuuuut in a few weeks they've already moved on, BECAUSE...

PLAYAS GONNA PLAY!!!

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-A player is good with words

-A player will sweet talk there way in or out of whatever they want

-A player is more romantic than what they can commit to.

-A player will tell you things privately, so they can't be held accountable for their words publicly

-A player will look at you like your a beautiful work of art and "forget" to say hi the next time they see you.
-A player passes up friendship and goes straight to the romance

-A player will lead you to believe things are one way, then say you misinterpreted them.

-A player is all words but no action
-A player sends non-verbal cues with their body language or eyes, then say, I never said that.

-A player promises more than they can give

-A player can't make up their mind
-A player sends mixed messages or say things that contradict

-A player keeps things surface

-A player wants YOU to be interested in them, but they're not really interested in YOU!

-A player lives for the moment NOT for the future

-The thing about a player is that they seem like they truly do want you, and the truth is, THEY DO!!! Because, a player wants YOU, buuuuuuuuuut they want THEM TOO!!!

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Can I tell you all something???

 THE DEVIL IS A PLAYER!!! He's a player, he's a player, HE'S A PLAYER!!! He will play with your heart, toy with your emotions, get you to believe things are a certain way. He'll twist things around, he'll manipulate and pervert even the words of God, "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Genesis 3:1)

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First he'll get you to just question the things of God and once your questioning it, he'll come a long and begin his flattery towards you. ^"And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4-5)

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Don't fall for the player of this world. Don't listen to his flattering words or promises he has no power to fulfil. The devil is such a player, he EVEN TRIED to play Jesus!!! "...the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." (Matthew 8-9) 

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Don't listen to the devil. He'll lead you on and then when things get rough, he'll act like he never even saw you before. He'll tell you things in whispers so he doesn't have to be held accountable for his words. He'll play with your emotions, making you feel so special, just so he can get you to do what he wants.

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"... He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44)

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He'll lure you on with promises he has no power to fulfil. The player of this world, he'll fill you with surface flattery, but their will never be roots of friendship for when the times are hard. He'll let you have  your fun for the moment, allow you to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a SEASON, buuuuut forget to tell you about all the consequences that come with it, the future of an eternity in hell. Oh yes, THE DEVIL IS PLAYER!!! 

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Revelation 12:9 says he decieveth the whole world.
YES, the devil wants YOUR SOUL...

ANNNNNNNNNND...

HE WANTS EVERYONE ELSE'S TOO!!!!!!

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8)

BEWARE OF THE PLAYER!!!

(Part 2   A bro and then some! Coming next Monday!!!)

Mary Frances :)