The Warmth of the Season

I have to admit, I've been cold. Very, very cold. Finally, I'm warm. Very, very warm. I will upload pics as soon as I can, but I don't have internet service where we are staying, so this is just a quick update.

I had no idea I missed Tucson this much. I feel...home. I am able to melt into the crowd here, unknown to most (since there are rather large crowds here), and take in the scenery, along with the simple pleasures of the Southwest: the metal desert animals scampering up adobe walls along the road, the purple mountains looming in the distance like old friends to welcome you home, the saguaros warming themselves in the sun without a care--similar to the way Snugglebug sleeps in her bed. I even appreciate the rectangular reflectors used to define the lanes on the road--something the snowplows of the Midwest would never allow. Will I really have to leave?

Christmas Traditions

We don't have many out-of-the-ordinary Christmas traditions (or at least what I would consider so), but this is my one tradition since I was a very little girl.  My mother would put a pile of Christmas records on the record player in the foyer, and I would sit in the living room on the old, uncomfortable green sofa that weighed a ton and was therefore never moved from the house (until it was sold, I believe).  The room would be dark, the Christmas lights would be flashing in multi-color brilliance, and the flames of Christmas candles would flicker in the dark.  It may have been 80 degrees outside (it was Tucson, after all), but it was Christmas.  Anyway, without further ado:



Merry Christmas!

Hedgy the Hedgehog Ornament

It hit me last week that I will need a Christmas present for Lovely's teacher....this week.  What could I get?  What could I make?  I love crafts, but I have so little time...then I came up with an idea.  A hedgehog!  It's the class pet, so surely her teacher would like it, right?  I thought of a design in my head, created a pattern, and got sewing.  Three hours and three hedgehog-wannabes later, I was no closer to a present good enough for someone who helps guide my daughter every day. 

What to do..what to do...And then I came upon this pattern on the web.  Check it out--it's adorable!  And sew easy!  One stop at the fabric store tonight and two hours later, I have a completed holiday ornament for Lovely's teacher!  Yay! 

This is the back of the hedgehog.

Here's the front.

Voila!  (Sorry, I don't know the symbols to use for this blog to properly write voila)

I did adjust the size of the hedgehog pattern, and I used flowered material for the front and striped material for the back.  I used felt leavish-shapes (hand-cut--I don't have the right die for my Sissix) for the quills, and I scrunched up some felt for the nose.  I used purple buttons for the eyes and pink ribbon for the hanger.  If a hanger is unwanted, you could actually hide it under the felt :) 

I feel so crafty today!  What's your craft story?

Almost There

Whew!  One paper DOWN!  Over 4,000 words, that is!  I don't remember working so hard on a paper--seriously!  I put off looking at my instructor's comments, only to find he hardly made any--and what he mentioned didn't seem very difficult to fix...maybe I'm missing something? 

So, in order to receive my credits for classes this semester, I only have a conference proposal to tweak and another HUGE paper to finish.  As you can see, I'm procrastinating.  It's my thing.  Don't judge. 

On another note, the holiday season has finally arrived and I'm going to have to face it:  Christmas is coming.  I have the presents bought for the girls, the present bought for myself, and the present bought for Hubby.  Only four presents to go, and I'll be home free.  I think I may put up our small Christmas tree, too, and decorate a little around here.  After I clean, that is.

I know--such exciting news.  I'm really just procrastinating.  I already told you:  don't judge. 

Weekend Accomplishments

I really should have pics to go with this post...but I'm too tired.  Here is my list of accomplishments for my time off from school/work:

1.  Christmas present for me-- purchased online and is now in transit.  Click this link to see what I got/am getting.

2.  Christmas present for hubby-- created and purchased and is now in transit.  This one's hush, hush, in case hubby sees this page (ha!)

3.  Christmas present for the girls-- ordered in store from warehouse and should be available for pick-up in 10-14 days.  Click this link to see what Snugglebug & Lovely are getting.  Now, I just pray it goes together easily and fits...

4.  Final paper for Writing Theory class-- started...lol...I know it's due on Monday, but I asked for an extension because I'm having formatting issues, among other things.

5.  Final paper for History of Rhetoric II-- I'm on page 4 of 20, baby!  lol  I'm seriously excited--I researched & wrote 4 pages today and I'm excited about working on it more tomorrow. 

6.  Presentation for History of Rhetoric II-- only needs to be 5 mins long, so I'm doing pretty well.  I figure I already have 3 mins down!  And boy, am I going to "disturb" my peers!  Postmortem portraits--with lots of visuals! 

7.  Laundry--mostly done.

8.  Turkey eating-- 3 days going strong.  Wonder why I'm feeling so bloated :/ 

What did you do with your Thanksgiving weekend? 

Thankful Thanksgiving

A Bountiful Feast 

A Restful Afternoon (no, hubby's not really grumpy, though one might wonder)

Two Sweet Girls Who Still Fight Over Getting To Sit In My Lap

Can you believe how old they both look?  (No, I don't mean me!)

Happy Turkey Day Eve!

Crazy Dayz

Last week was Spirit Week at Lovely's school, so we decided to get in the spirit!  These are pictures of Crazy Day, where the kids were supposed to dress as crazy as they could (within reason, of course!).  I tried, I really tried, to find something crazy for Lovely to wear, but she just ended up more cute than crazy...maybe I should shoot for crazy everyday?

 Even her hair turned out really cute, and it stayed in all day! 

While other grad students are either studying or having fun, I find myself sorting through children's clothes, digging through laundry, reminding Lovely to practice handwriting, and prodding Snugglebug to count.  Tantrums are common.  Snot is constant.  Hugs are all-encompassing.  Kisses are calming.  Stress is at an all-time high and yet, I love my Lovely and my Snugglebug and cherish each moment...

(Ok, not the AHHHHH...she hit me!  She kicked me!  She took my orange pig!  I can't find my other shoe!  I can't get my socks on!  Waaahhhh!  I want candy!  Knock, knock...who's there?  Me?  Me who?  Me big truck....knock, knock...who's there? [repeat 17 times] You just don't love me! Mom, she's licking me again!  Mommy, she broke your doll!  Ahh!  She's naked!) 

So, how crazy are your days?

Lovely, Frizzly Sixth Birthdays

There once was a fair princess named Lovely, though her loveliness was often hidden beneath the blonde frizzies of her hair.  She would frolick and play, all night and throughout the day, counting her fingers and contemplating just what it would take for her busiest of mothers to bake a birthday cake. 

Upon her 6th birthday, she wished for a fluffy white dog, and then proceeded to circle every other toy in the Toys 'R Us catalogue.  However, her wish for the dog was granted despite the dog's frequent bark, and a smile Lovely made, and her blue eyes were filled with a spark.

Yet, another gift, from Grandma, did come.  What could it be?  "Perhaps another dog?" suggested some.  Surely, they must jest!  But no--they were right, and another dog's bark was soon to fill the night!

Thank you for patiently reading through my extremely poor poetry.  I am not a poet--by any means.  I write, but as you can see, I fall very short when it comes to writing even the simplist verse!

A Day at the Faire

In the beginning of October, we hit the Renaissance Festival in Fishers, Indiana. I had gone last year with my best friend and her kids, and we found it was clean (in more ways than one) and very child friendly. So, I talked my hubby into going this year (against his will), and we drove up for a few hours.

Honestly, this year was a bust. I attempted to watch a rendition of Green Eggs and Hamlet, but was vastly disappointed. The best part of the day: the Punch & Judy Puppet Show and the apple dumplings. Yuuummm...those apple dumplings! And of course, the girls were laughing like crazy during the puppet show. Their view was a little hampered by an obnoxious girl who was twice Lovely's size and insisted on fitting between Lovely and another girl on the haystack.

This has to be one of my all-time favo pics! I believe I was actually manually adjusting my camera (go me!) and look how the girls are just lit up! Muy impressive!

A Couple of Sillies

The city I live in held trick-or-treating Saturday night instead of Sunday. I liked the change in day, but I found it wasn't so great once everyone else in the are realized they could go two nights in a row, of course hitting my neighborhood first. I took the girls to a trunk or treat thing that we attend each year, and let me tell ya...they sped through the candy! Snugglebug has been eating it non-stop, while Lovely likes to savor it...and share it with everyone. I'm not sure what they'll do once the candy is gone, but they don't seem concerned about that right now--give them a couple days!

 Now, to explain the photos...No, Lovely did not just bring home a fresh kill. I painted a nose on Snugglebug, but since Lovely already had a nose, she asked me to give her a mouth. I realized as I was painting that she looked like a dragon ate the Joker; wouldn't you eat him if you were a dragon? Also, I thought it was rather obvious, but Snugglebug is a monkey. Someone flattered me at the trunk or treat by asking if I made their costumes....HA! Sew? Moi? Ok, I did make all those attempts this summer, most of which turned out all right, but these costumes are way beyond me!


So, what did you do while all the little children were knocking on doors and begging for candy?

Procrastination

Pro-cras-ti-na-tion:  Putting off what you know needs to be done in order to do something often deemed wasteful but momentarily emotionally gratifying. 

Yep, I'm a procrastinator.  I used to be one of those students who did her work way ahead of time just to make sure it got done in time for me to check it over and over again.  Then, I grew up. 

I have a paper due tomorrow.  Did you hear me?  Due TOMORROW.  What am I doing?  Blogging.  Ok, I've written it, but my heart just isn't in it because it's a tutoring session analysis and I'm just not feelin' it.  Oh, but that's not all.  I have another paper due on Friday, which I haven't even begun.  Don't people just zip out papers on cultural disjunctions of the 16th and 17th centuries on the fly?  Oh.  Well, maybe I should get started on it then...

My weekends don't seem to exist anymore.  What happened to them?  Boy, I'm looking forward to December and not having classes.  Snugglebug and Lovely still adore their classes.  Snugglebug informed me she doesn't want to homeschool--ever--she loves her friends too much.    They both really do love it...we may continue sending them to school next year as well, or a few years, as Hubby said today, depending on how things go.  As long as we keep pointing them back what is right, and do the best we can to train them in the way they should go, then we will keep praying about school.  Honestly, I look around the office/school room and I am disheartened that I invested so much time and effort into homeschool supplies, plans, hopes, etc.  But...I don't really miss actually doing the homeschool work.  Lovely is learning to read just fine with charter school.  She is learning about Respect (with a capital R!) at school, and she gets to have PE, music, library, art, and computer classes--things for which we just ran out of time.  She gets to climb and swing (did I mention we don't have anything to climb/swing on at our house?).  She's learning responsibility and to get along with others of various ages.  So, I feel I finally have more time to focus on what's important for me to teach them in their learning: about God.  

Ok, now I'm off to finish that paper and then play with the girls. I'll put off writing the other paper until later...

Grandma Before My Time

I'm not sure what happened.

I'm not sure when. 

Suddenly

My girls keep talking

About when I'll become a GRANDMA.

Lovely only wants two kids, but only if they are girls.  Oh, and she's not inviting anyone to the wedding because she doesn't want anyone *looking* at her.  And she plans on homeschooling.  Wait...did she say homeschooling?  Apparently, homeschooling helps sisters be friends, and she's scared her kids won't have friends at school.  Wait a second...that sounds so FAMILIAR...and yet, my girls are friends (they even admit it) and they each have friends at school...hmmm...

Snugglebug is determined to have ten kids, one of which will be named Blueberry (a boy, of course).  I'm not sure how many she's planning on having at once since she says some of them won't be able to go to school because they'll be four.  She's also going to have several cats and dogs, but she keeps asking if she'll have to give her pig a bath. 

Rock Potties and Bear Banks

About a month or two ago, I took the girls on a play date to the Falls of the Ohio.  I was looking through pics tonight and came across this one.  Snugglebug referred to it as a big potty...and sure enough, it looks like one!  What confused me was her eagerness to get her picture taken while sitting on it :/

Now, the real reason I'm blogging is to tell Lovely's bear story.  I was reading Bear Goes to Town to the girls last night and came to the part about Bear going to the bank and the teller asking, "How much would you like?" Of course, Bear got whatever amount he wanted.  I took the opportunity to explain that it doesn't happen like that in real life; banks don't just "give" money--you have to have placed money in the bank first. Lovely's response:

"Yea, well bears don't go to banks anyway.  And they don't wear clothes." 

Silly me!

Firsts

The Goofball of Lovliness

This was Lovely's first day of Kindergarten at her new school. I still remember the first-day- of-school pics my mom took of me as a child. For some reason, they are comforting to me, even now, at my ripe ol' age.


Lovely is still loving school and keeps making more and more friends. For the most part, it seems like it's a positive influence. The timid, shy child has blossomed into an enthusiastic girl of natural curiosity. She laughs, she giggles, and yes, she still cries--she's still a girl, after all!


The Laughter of Snugglebug

This was Snugglebug's first day of Pre-K.  She LOVED it.  She said she made two friends and she's happy her classroom has a hamster and two fish, both in "cages" as she put it.  She was very annoyed they didn't get to play on the computers there, but she was more annoyed she didn't get to go back the next morning (her school is only two days per week).  Oh, and if you noticed that stain on her shirt, it's because she spilled milk on it and I had to wipe it off.  Also, the apple has her name on it, but I removed the name for the purpose of this blog.

Still Alive...Are You?

With as busy as my life has been, I still manage to sneak a peak at blogs in hopes of updates.  Boy, have I been disappointed of late!  That's all right...now, I don't feel so bad for not updating as much as I should.

School is still going well, and Lovely has finally learned the names of two of her friends.  She learned all of her sight words for last week and said them to me so quickly, I about fainted!  I did find out the teacher read the dreaded Junie B. Jones to the children last week.  Was I wrong for telling Lovely not to listen to her?  lol  I told her she may listen, but please know we do NOT speak in such a manner.  Grammar/vocab is severely lacking in those stories.

Pre-K begins this week for Snugglebug and I'll be  honest...I almost wept as I looked through her papers.  I can't believe my baby is so big already. 

I am in the midst of an archival project on which I must present Tuesday.  Ugh.  If I had more time, and if I didn't have to go first, I wouldn't be so nervous.  But I don't, I do, and I am.  I'm actually quite interested in my topic, despite its creepiness to the average person.  I'm looking at the rhetoric of photographs taken post-mortem when people used to pose the dead as if they were still alive. I'm reading several old letters right now, including ones from L.M. Montgomery (author of Anne of Avonlea & Emily of New Moon).  Boy, was she confused.  She honestly believed God was libeled by stating there was a hell in which people went after death, because no one chooses to sin, and once they realize they are sinning, they turn from it, except in the case of bad habits.  In such a case, bad habits end with the physical body and therefore the soul can have a "second-chance."  Hmmm....

I guess I'll leave you with those thoughts and get back to my reading...and more reading...and more reading...

Just Thinking...

Today was the start of my 2nd week at U of L and Lovely's 2nd week of school.  Reactions:

Me:

•  I have way too much reading to do.  Not like "Sam went to school today" kind of reading.  Here is an example of what I've been reading:  "Underpinned or at least burdened by the whole history of psychoanalytic theory, Campbell's use of the term participates in a depth hermeneutics that posits an irreducible essence inhabiting the subject and a tropology of the psyche that writes presence as consciousness, self-presence conceived within the opposition of consciousness to unconsciousness" (Beisecker, 146).  Ya, my thoughts exactly.  Amazing how you can love to write so much, but reading about writing.....uggghhhhh
• The writing center is pretty lax as far as hours working and time spent.  We'll see how it continues, though.
• I like the classes I was fearful of and dislike the one I thought I'd like.  Well, I take that back.  I love the information I'm learning in it, too.  History, you know!  I really should just live in an ancient library.

Lovely:

• School is fun.  She likes her teacher.
• She has several new friends, none of whom she can remember the names of.
• Handwriting is kind of boring because she's done it so much before, but she's getting better!
• She gets to play on the computer.
• She's going to have "lab coats" that are literally hand-painted--I can't wait to see those one day! 
• She's learning blends already, which isn't new to her, but pretty speedy for her grade, so I'm impressed.
• Her teacher is "cracking down" on discipline this week--I'm amazed at how strict they are, and very pleased. 

Overall, it's been a good day.  If only I didn't have all of this reading....lol

The First Week of School-School

The first week of Lovely's new school ended today and as she put it, it was "another fun day."  She is now up to six friends, she won a pretty pink pencil for a game they played, she has come home everyday this week with a behavior paper that declared a "super duper day", a card that had 20 stickers on it for good deeds she did while at school (such as opening the door for others, etc.), and she got a special treat of "suckers" for her behavior, and a popcicle because it was her teacher's birthday.  Whew!  She's had a big week!  But she still loves going, which I am so thankful for!

I think I'm going to continue doing handwriting and the First Grammar Lessons with her (when time), and let her continue ClickNKids phonics on the computer, just to keep her moving forward.  I'm so proud of my big girl! 

A New Direction

Pictures are to come, but I haven't had time to wash dishes let alone edit pics, so you'll have to wait.

First, thank you for all the homeschool support everyone has offered me.  I'm going to direct most of my new posts to this blog from now on, though, because we have just stopped homeschooling this year (mostly), and so I don't want to use my homeschooling blog right now.  We will be praying about resuming again next year, so let me explain why:

I was extremely stressed about all I was about to take on, and reality hit me that I was so stressed that I wasn't helping Lovely learn anything, or at least not much.  I didn't want to cause her to cry (or let's face it, myself), so I began to pray.  The charter school I submitted an application to was filled for 1st grade, but I continued thinking about it and reading up on them. They follow a 40 D list of character development traits, so they are very strict on teaching children to think of others first, etc.  No profanity, they wear cute uniforms, they make parents promise to be involved...all things I was looking for.  I was worried about mean kids (from my own experience), so I believed these school goals would cut down on that. 

Anyway, I found out my husband's cousin had to remove her twins from Kindergarten because she couldn't get her son in the same school.  That left two spots open.  I began to question whether or not it would be better for Lovely to have learning reenforced while allowing her more time to develop as a social little person.  I had started her in school early, afterall.  With as timid/shy as she acted, I was a little worried she might have a slight case of Asberger's (sp) syndrome, but I kept pushing thoughts like that out of my mind. 

I called the school and low and behold, there was ONE spot left.  I took her to the school and enrolled her that day, knowing that after talking with Hubby, if we changed our minds, I could simply call and not drop off the final paperwork Tues.  However, Lovely begged to go to school...literally begged.  The child who was scared of anyone under the age of 15 begged to go to school!  I bought her uniform (one skirt to last the year at that price!), her backpack, and supplies, and got her ready for the next morning.

I had to go to work the day she started, but I called and asked how her day went.  "Mommy, I love school!  I made two friends, but I can't remember their names.  I learned to count backwards, too--10, 9, 8...," was her response.  Wow!  Oh, and that night she showed me how to make a proper B--apparently I hadn't been strict enough when teaching her! lol  So why is it it took 2 yrs to learn to count w/o skipping numbers, but 1 day to count backwards perfectly?! 

Her second day went pretty well, too, although she didn't like a game they played, but we can't love everything, can we?  She painted a turtle and petted a real one, and she gets recess with other grade levels, so she's still exposed to various ages/learning development, which I like.

School/work for me should end in May, so we'll reexamine everything around then. 

Well, that's all for now...

Busy, Busy!

Life has been soo busy since Monday!  I started work at U of L, which amounts to sitting around chatting right now until we get students coming in for help.  I also have at least one class M-F, Tuesday being the worst day ever created because for this week and next, I have to go in at noon and I don't get back to my mom's house to pick up the girls until 8:45 p.m.!  Yick! 

Amazingly, I'm not as stressed today.  Today has been much better.  I've said a lot of prayers on the prayer front, and it has been amazing how the Lord has opened an unexpected door.  There have been some new developments with school for the girls, but I'll share those later.  All I know is that I've prayed, and I continued to pray, and I've seen amazing changes, so that even though my human side is all nervous and filled with butterflies, I know we're doing the right thing.

I am excited about one of my class projects, that will hopefully turn into the final project for the class, and then the culminating project for graduation as well.  It's been extremely difficult to think of a final project for graduation, so this is actually my first opportunity to get really excited about it! 

Mango Bummifications

So bummed am I!  A few months ago I discovered mangos--a yummy, good-for-you food.  I only ate part of one because I was cooking with it, but after a while, I got a horridly upset stomach.  I wondered if it was the mango itself, so I did a computer search and came back empty handed.

This week, I decided to give it another go.  I made a peach-mango smoothie, which was pretty good.  However, after about 45 minutes, I started getting really nauseated.  A little while later, my stomach felt absolutely terrible!  I lay on the sofa for a couple hours, and my stomach is still a little upset.  So, I decided to do another internet search and here is what I found...This guy seems to have the same allergy (I know nothing else about his website, but this article was useful to me), but he's "taking it back" and working up a tolerance for mangos.  Sorry, bub, but I don't have the time.  The allergy is caused by the Urushiol found in the mango (it's also found in poison ivy).  This article just speaks of a rash, but since the other guy got a rash after becoming ill, I'm guessing it's the same problem.  I'm just thankful I didn't eat an entire mango! 

Last Free Friday

Today is my last Friday of freedom...for a few months, at least.  And technically, it's not even free, with the abundant items on my infamous To-Do list.  Oh, well--I will make the best of it!

Yesterday was my orientation at U of L's Writing Center.  I'm actually pretty excited about working there!  I'm not crazy about all my hours, but I hope to get some time between work & class to study/write, so I don't have to do so at home as much.  I really like my manager/instructor, and I already knew one other person there (in addition the PhD mentors).  I am not crazy over the health insurance, but at least it's insurance.  If I have to go to the hospital that's frequently featured on the news as reporters discuss the latest gun shot/stabbing victim, then so be it--at least it will be paid for. 

I will admit, I dropped off an application at the charter school yesterday morning and felt oh-so-good about it.  I know they're full and they have a waiting list, but at least I'm making the effort so if the Lord opens the door, we can walk through it. Depending on how school goes this year, we may send the girls there next year (if they have room, of course)...it just depends.  I don't want to work away from home that much, but you never know what's going to happen! 

I've decided to just concentrate on phonics, spelling, and math with Lovely.  She does phonics online, without help, and does a super job.  Spelling....uggh...it took 5 tries to get an 87%, but honestly, the only thing I'm upset at is she needed me to do the typing for her in order to get that score.  Not that she can't find letters on a keyboard--she just told me I needed to be with her in order for her to do it.  So much for self-reliance in 1st grade! lol  Math went pretty well last night and she gave me a huge hug and kiss after the lesson because she had "so much fun."  Well, that was after she had a break down of "I can't do THIS!!!!" but I made her power through. 

As for all my other thoughts....pshhhaa....I am pushing them away.  Perhaps I should try yoga!  lol

Wow! It's Been a While!

Obviously, I have been trying not to think about the weight thing.  Obviously, that is impossible, but not impossible not to write about it!

I have been bad...very, very bad.  My brother & family were in town for a while, and we went out to eat A LOT and had some family dinners as well. Now, I'm nervous about starting my new job and classes, so my mind hasn't been on cooking, and we've still been eating out a lot...not good.  I did find I hate Stevie B's--- can I just have grease on a platter, please?  But I also learned I LOVE Moe's--I can't believe I didn't try it sooner!  Fresh & yummy, and fast! 

Now, today is my 7 year wedding anniversary with Hubby, so we are headed to the Melting Pot.  I've never been, but I've always wanted to try it.  Hopefully, I won't over-do anything, and hopefully, he'll realize fondue isn't a bad thing. 

Now, time for some random thoughts....

I want to move to a bigger house, but I feel like nothing gets done around here to make that possible.
I feel we have no $$ to make that possible.
I know ALL things are possible, but I wonder what's in His perfect will.
I wonder if I'm done having children and should sell every baby thing I've stored in my mom's basement.
I wonder if I'm a bad mommy for thinking about sending my kids to school.
I wonder if other people will think I'm a bad mommy if I send my kids to school.
I wonder why I care if other people will think I'm a bad mommy.
I wonder why I'm so torn about homeschooling lately. 
I wonder how I can better organize my house.
I wonder how often I'm going to cook during the next 10 months of work/school.
I wonder how I will face my dirty house day in and day out.
I wonder what the ultimate outcome of my degree will be.
I wonder if I should take a couple more classes just to become high school teacher certified, in case we send the girls to school so I can teach at the same school.
I wonder why I have this incessant drive to work, to try to control my circumstances, when I know who is really in control of everything and that it's better that way.
I wonder if it all stems from when my father passed away....which is what I'm sure any good therapist would say--if there was such a thing---lol
I wonder how I was able to write "lol" at the end of that sentence.  Just another sign of my twisted sense of humor...

Ok, I think I see why I'm a little distracted of late.  Keep me in your prayers!

A Giggle

Although I had to stand in line at the post office for at least 30 minutes last Friday, I couldn't help but smile.  These are the moments when you realize, "Hey, these are the funnies you just have to remember to make the difficult times better."

There was only one worker that day, in the afternoon, and he was getting two of the three people at the head of the line set-up with passports.  There was one person between me and them, and several people came and went while we waited because they didn't want to take the time.  I was debating leaving as well, but then I heard the worker discussing getting the card vs. the book, and how the card would be good for any surface traveling to Canada and Mexico.  He explained that meant by car or ship.  Well, the couple thought the card would be good for their upcoming trip, but the man had one question:  Is it good for going to Hawaii? 

I couldn't help but grin.  It took the worker a few minutes, but he finally said, "Umm..you don't need it for Hawaii." 

Yes, this is why I homeschool.

Delicious Manicotti!

Last night, I tried the Homemade Manicotti recipe from Gina's WW site. All I can say is YUM! I know I ate more than I was supposed to, but I couldn't resist! I didn't used to be a manicotti fan, especially when I tried making it from home, but this was extremely good and I'm anxious about trying my left overs (for fear of ruining them by reheating too much/too little).

I made the crespelles (what the mixture is wrapped in) from scratch, which is a little tricky, but so worth it! They are extremely thin (each only calls for 2 T of batter, but I used 3 since I kept tearing them :P) and they only cook for a total of 40 seconds each. I also changed the recipe by using whole wheat flour and fresh chopped spinach. I'm sure I used a little too much sauce, but I didn't want to waste the jar!

Shrimp Quesadillas with Tomato Avocado Salsa

Well, I tried to break out of the box and try something different for the fam...but this was not a hit.  I liked them all right (minus the tomatoes), but Hubby didn't enjoy them, Lovely refused to eat them, and although Snugglebug said they were tasty, she didn't finish her's, either.  So, I won't be making these again.  Sorry, Gina, this skinny WW recipe just didn't float our boats! 

So, I'll admit what all I've eaten today since I need to write down somewhere what I have consumed:

Bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios w/ 2% milk (I don't drink most of the milk--it's just there to wet the Cheerios)
Broiled white fish sandwich on wheat, salad with ranch (I dip my fork in the dressing, so I probably eat 2-3 tsp. of it), and about 3 of the little chips that come on the plate at Sam's (the restuarant)
3/4 Shrimp Ques., ~1/2 C lowfat beans, ~1/2 C Spanish rice

Downfall:  I drank Coke.  And Mello Yello.  Grrr...why can't I give that sugary stuff up?!  I could just kick myself! 

Turkey & Black Bean Enchiladas

So this isn't the most attractive food photo I've ever seen, but it is deceptive! Remember how I said I love Gina's Skinny WW Recipes? This is one of them. Those who have known me for years may seriously wonder how or why I, of all people, would try this dish, but I did, and I don't regret it! I used whole wheat tortillas, black beans, extra lean ground turkey, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cilantro, chopped onion, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, and Weight Watcher's Mexican style cheese, just to name some of the ingredients. I also made the sauce from scratch--something I've never tried before!

Other than being a tad spicy, I really enjoyed these! If I remember right, they are 8.5 pts per enchilada, and I only had one, with some lowfat beans. (I was trying to make up for the meal disaster I had earlier at Rafferty's!) Hubby really liked them as well, and Lovely at half of one, while Snugglebug picked at her's, but what can you expect? I only started eating like this once I passed age 25...no, wait, I'm still 25, aren't I? If I am, this has been the longest year of my life!

Happy eating!

Rafferty's

I had planned to go to Kroger and my favorite, Whole Foods, today, along with one of the libraries.  I had planned to go early in the morning, so I wouldn't have to slave in the heat.  I had PLANNED, you see.

Then, I heard this strange beeping in my dream...it was incessant...I mean, it just wouldn't stop; and so, I woke up around 1:30 a.m., only to find the power had gone out and our phones were out of charge, which caused them to beep.  After dismantling them both in the dark, I remembered Hubby's handy-dandy miner's light that attaches to a headband/hat, and used that to call the electric company on the only phone that's actually attached to a wall. Finally, I went back to bed, only to discover "no's" still running through my head, and so I couldn't sleep...for a long, long while.

This is my long excuse for waking up at 8:50 a.m. instead of 7 as I had planned.  After dragging the kids out of bed, I dropped them at Mom's and went to Kroger...hi ho, hi ho, groceries cost a fortune, don't you know... Sorry, don't you break into song in the middle of your thoughts, as well? 

After that, I picked the girls up and Mom, headed to the library, only to find people in line ahead of me AGAIN to get the summer book points calculated.  (Why can't I ever be at the head of the line, just the end?!) 

Then, we headed to one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Rafferty's.  I tried to be good, I really, really did.  I ordered a grilled chicken wrap.  And then I came home and looked up the nutritional value on the computer:  711 calories, 2.63 grams of fiber, and....dum dee dee duummm...28.59 grams of fat!  ACK! I was afraid of that!  So, any suggestions for ordering better at that restaurant that is still tasty? 

I printed out a bunch of recipes for this week from my favorite, Gina's Skinny WW Recipes (I LOVE that woman for creating such a YUMMY site).  Therefore, I spent more on groceries, but at least I'm making an effort to eat healthy the rest of the week.  Now, if only I could find time for exercise...

Lovely Comment

Last night, Lovely kept telling me I was the best mommy in the whole world.  She was doing so in order to earn more marbles (her currency), so the last time she told me this, I finally asked her why I was the best mommy in the whole world.  Her response:

"Because God is with you." 

That just melted my heart!

Finding Motivation

I admit, it's been difficult to find motivation of late.  It seems June has been busier than the rest of the year for one reason or another.  Now, I'm just a little more fearful of August! 

I hope July calms down a bit--I've had something going each week in June.  This morning was the garage sale, where I didn't make a fortune, but at least I made up some of the money I've spent on homeschool supplies!  lol  I got up extremely early for me (5:30 a.m.), and now I'm just wondering how on earth I can find motivation to get up early everyday (well, not THAT early..but earlIER). 

Last night was the homeschool meeting, and I volunteered to be secretary since no one else wanted the position and I knew I should be good at it since the Lord has given me skills that help with organization, listening, writing, etc.  (I was an administrative/office assistant/secretary for about eight years.)  However, there were still a couple people who would rather have no secretary than me...which simply baffles me.  Honestly, I am so tempted to resign because I don't want to make anyone unhappy, and yet I know that would be letting others down, and I don't want to do that, either.  Unfortunately, an analogy to my last job comes to mind...some students loved my classes, but there were always a couple who felt..."unhappy" with me.  It was easy to write those opinions off, but this is much harder to deal with, probably because I feel anyone who is willing to honestly help the kids and help the group and who has prayed about the decision to take such a role should be supported....but I better stop rambling!  I have a birthday party to attend...and a present to buy before I get there!

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! 

To Master or Not to Master...

I had all but given up on getting my MA in English. I had decided a little while ago to drop the classes I am scheduled to take this fall because I didn't want to go into more debt, and I just wanted to be mommy for a change. Then I get an email out of the blue.

I had applied for a graduate teaching assistant position last January and thought, "If I'm supposed to be in school next year, I'll get it." Positions came and went without a call to me, so I thought I must not be meant for that job. Then, I got an email two days ago, asking if I was still interested because they want to make me an offer. I said yes and asked for the details, knowing I would have to discuss with hubby first and pray on it. Here's the 'good' gist:

• 20 hrs/wk, probably working in the Writing Center
• Up to 24 credit hours of tuition PAID
• Health insurance for me PAID
• Stipend PAID (which alone is more than I made slaving the ENTIRE YEAR at BMC last year)
• I could be finished by next May
• Great for a resume and I could then apply to just about any college to teach (including online universities, etc. so I could work from home), not to mention I could say the name of where I worked and people would know where I was talking about.
• More experience
• Bills could be paid
• Improvements could be made to the house so we can put this baby up for sale next spring/summer
• I'd be working mostly during hubby's slow season

'Bad' gist:

• 20 hrs/wk away from my fam
• I must take 3 classes at a time--more time away from fam
• Stress
• MUCH harder to homeschool (I would have to start now and go through part of next summer, which is doable)
• No freedom to just work on projects (like the aprons and necklace I'm making now)
• Say good-bye to a clean house

I have to decide and get the contract back to them by May 22nd. Pray for me!

Not a Morning Person

Each weekend, I go over my weekly schedule. I have finally come to grips with the reality that I cannot wake up early. I know I should, I know it would be good for me, but it just doesn't happen. So, my goal has been to wake up by 8 a.m. Sadly, I couldn't even accomplish that today!

Hubby had an all-nighter installation job last night, so he didn't get home until after 5 a.m. I, of course, couldn't sleep well without him and actually put off going to sleep...until 3 a.m.! I used to stay up that late all the time as a teenager, but here's the news: I'm not a teenager anymore! Yikes! Anyway, the schedule is blown for today, but I have been eating pretty well-- with the exception of the yummy strawberry bread I made for OAMC. I have no idea how bad it is for you, but it is oh so good! lol

Lost Count

I tried counting points yesterday, but to no avail. I hate figuring out how many points each ingredient is in something I make. Plus, I did really well all day, until evening when hubby got home and started eating chips...ughh!

Anywhoo, I'm finding this evening a little more difficult to remain positive on things...ever feel misunderstood? LOL Maybe I'm reverting to being a teenager again! Now, if only I could weigh what I weighed as a teenager! I'm thinking Facebook should be removed from my computer right now, though--I was majorly misunderstood and I simply don't feel like explaining myself. Perhaps old age has set in? lol Wow, I'm bouncing all over the age spectrum!

Update

Started a new 30 Day Challenge, but I upped it to high-intensity. So, I exercised 32 minutes and burned 243 calories yesterday morning...and I'm sore! I also walked last evening for about 30 minutes with the girls. To top it off, I wrote down everything I ate...well, except that birthday cupcake I had to taste for my daughter's bday ;-)

Long Time No Blog...Or Diet

After finishing the 30 Day Challenge, I became a slacker. You ask, "Why?" Because I knew I was facing Easter weekend (which is always a time of eating with friends and family and spending gross amounts of time doing things other than exercise), the homeschool convention would be the following weekend, and this weekend is...my...birthday! Yes, I know--I look great for 25! ;) Well, I'll keep telling my daughters that age anyway, until they wise-up. So, here's the plan:

On Monday, after b-day weekend celebrations have come to a close, I will once again rejoin the ranks of exercisers/dieters. That means exercise will become a priority again, and I will once more attempt to notebook everything I eat. I have tried this method before, but I just never last more than a day...really. So, that's my mini-goal: not to lose a bunch of weight or to exercise non-stop, but to notebook what I eat. How's that for setting achievable goals?

Weight? What Weight? Ohhhh...That Weight

I'm choosing to live in a bubble this week. I have not exercised (first time in a long time of not exercising since Sunday), and there is no excuse, but to say, "I'm tired. T-i-r-e-d." I have a ton of things to think about right now, so I'll resume my exercise regime next week if all goes well. Then, I'll be in top form for the homeschool convention....or at least I'll tell myself that. My clothes aren't fitting any looser and I'm seriously wondering if I have some strange medical anomaly that doesn't allow me to lose weight like a normal person. Ha! I won't claim it! Shame on you, Anomaly! I know you no more!

Messing with the Design

As usual, I got tired of my backdrop/layout, so I decided to try the blogger draft design thingy majig. I really like it, and although I thought I desperately wanted to move away from AZ, I now feel comforted when I used backdrops/pics from where I was born and spent my entire childhood. Isn't it amazing how things can stay frozen in time? I haven't visited in about four years now, but if I don't go back, that will mean things won't have changed from my last visit, so these memories provide a sort of stability not easily found elsewhere.

In one of the previous comments, I was asked if I journal/calculate/plan/measure everything I eat. In response, no, I do not. I hate measuring! I wish I had the money to just say, "Hey, Jenny Craig, send me some food so I don't have to figure this out on my own," but I can't afford that, either. So, I do my best to write it down when I remember to do so. Probably why I haven't lost very much.

Writing/writer/struggling

All of the above words seem synonymous with the next. I've loved writing since the time I could form words into sentences. This love has spanned books (often read 2-3 times), prompted dictionary and thesaurus use, and has been a part of me that I always return to, no matter other interests that may arise. However, I'm yet to be "officially" published. Why? Here are some of my thoughts:

1. No follow through. I get started, and then I don't finish stories. Well, poetry and short stories, I can handle. Articles for school, I can handle. Writing just for me and finishing...not so much.
2. Too much on my plate, which causes #1. I'm a Christian wife, mother, teacher, tutor, student, writer, web blogger, website manager, homeschool volunteer, and artist (I started working with charcoal again last night--very relaxing!). So, until days become 37 hrs long, I need to learn to slow-down and not jump into everything headfirst.
   
3. Rejection hurts. There's no way around rejection as a writer. Yes, I have been rejected, and yes, it does hurt. I have to learn to not let it bother me as much, but who likes being told, "Don't waste our time." (They don't really say that; it's mostly a, "We can't use your story at this time. Thank you," kind of thing.
4. I love teaching. Honestly, I would rather teach writing than write sometimes. Weird, eh? Probably because it's easier, which leads me to #5:
5. Writing is hard. Really, really hard. You put your heart, your soul, your know-how, your time, your energy--everything you have goes into those words. Sometimes, those words just don't reflect what you really are, and then you are left searching for the right "fix-it", which may never come.
   
6. I can't find the right fit for my writing. I don't write obscene pieces with harsh language or violence, etc. Therefore, the normal nonfiction journal/magazine doesn't fit my pieces. Yet, my pieces are nonfiction, so they don't go into fiction mags/journals. They don't really seem "Christian-enough" to place into a Christian journal/mag, because they don't always center around a virtuous end-moral lesson. What to do, what to do...which leads me to #7:
   
7. I'm waiting on God's perfect will. Good enough for me.
   

30 Day Challenge...Check!

I finished the 30 Day Challenge on the Wii Active last night! Yeah! Did I lose a single pound? Of course not! But did I gain a single pound? I hope not! (I haven't had the nerve to check since we ate out yesterday.) S made breakfast yesterday afternoon, which is certainly not the healthiest for me. I need to just say no, but then I'm afraid of hurting feelings....sigh. We ate Mexican for dinner, but I had 1.5 bean burritos (the serving came with 2 burritos), so I at least avoided the cheese enchiladas I normally consume. My youngest daughter robbed me of 1/2 of one, but I was thankful.

I checked out the WW site last night, but after checking meeting times and costs, it just won't work for me. Yes, you got it--I'm too cheap to pay $10/week and I like sleeping in on the ONE day per week I get to sleep in--Saturday. So, I'm back at trying to figure this weight thing out myself. Maybe if I had to post my weight on here for everyone to see? hahahahahaha Yeaaaa right! That's not going to happen!

On the school front, I believe I have decided to forgo school this summer, sign up for classes this fall, and see if I have money for them by then. That way, we can work on our house and I can concentrate on the things in life I really love and enjoy, instead of what some teacher believes I need to learn for my own good. Wow, I think I'm growing up!

Cleaning, Cleaning...Never clean!

Just finished washing my mom's carpet...yeah! I've been cleaning her house all day in preparation for her company this upcoming week. To be honest, I needed the extra money, so I was glad my niece (who normally does it this time of year) wasn't interested. I am determined to save money in order to pay down debt and move out of my neighborhood. Yes, I'm very thankful for my cute little house, but it seems the world is moving in on me...closer and closer! We have the barking dogs around us, the smoking (of all kinds), the loud music, the guitar across the street, the kids climbing over my fence to play with my children....ick! It doesn't look like we can move out anytime soon, but I'm going to write a check and have faith that it will work out!

I didn't eat great today, but I had a salad, broiled fish on wheat, and two pieces of pizza. I did have Coke (ack! If I had an arch villain, we know what it would be!), but I've been cleaning today and tonight I'm going to exercise--workout 19 of 20 for the Wii Active! Yeah! Have I lost weight? No. Do I feel skinnier? No. But I felt really good yesterday (until the evening, that is, when I was feeling a bit stressed and confused), and I know it is because of my choices of late.

Off to clean some more before I go home....happy spring cleaning, everyone!

Confused & Burdened

Ok, so this is my venting post. I'm not to let a negative thought roost in my mind, so no matter how often the "negativity woodpecker" pecks, I'm going to turn him away. I just need to figure out my thoughts right now!

I honestly feel a need to help others whenever I can, but after I do, I feel....forgotten, or that people don't feel I've done enough. After last night, I felt completely forgotten--all the hard work, all the stress that I volunteered to handle, was so easily forgotten. I know I help so I can help the kids, so I try to conjure up their smiling faces in my mind and realize that people have so many things going on in their minds that other things get forgotten. And it's not that I'm mad; I just feel a little hurt. I hope everyone knows that can ask me for help anytime they need it.

I feel I need to do a lot of praying because although someone spoke exactly what was on my heart last night, exactly how I feel, I still feel that it went unheard by some other outspoken people. I feel we need to pray, wait, and say, "We need you to help us...we can't go it alone. Just as Moses went on the mountain and people neglected to do the right thing while he was gone--we need Moses to lead us." I know my husband can handle my own family, but we still need help.

After I left a meeting last night, I also ended up wondering if I give off vibes of being "anti-social" or if I just don't know how to respond to other people, or what the deal was. I found that while my husband had people to talk to, I was wandering around alone and ready to go. I did talk a few minutes with some sweet sisters, but I seriously begin to wonder what is wrong with me. I love everyone, no matter our differences, so I hope people realize this. Maybe I just have that "struggling soul" that so many writers have, but I don't know....Wow, this is getting really depressing, but I honestly am burdened. I just have to lay my burdens down at His feet :)

What's the Deal?

So I've been working this week, but I've still been watching what I eat (for the most part) and I've been exercising, yet I don't feel any smaller. Ok, maybe I feel smaller because my ability to get in better shape just doesn't seem up to par, but I don't physically feel smaller. I will keep trying; I will keep striving. I've been drinking so much water lately that it seems I'm always running to the bathroom. Even with all of my doubts, I do know I'm in better shape than I was previously.

I canceled my tutoring hours this morning because I knew I needed more sleep. I have this nasty habit of trying to juggle too much all the time, and I feel that if I'm not multi-tasking, I'm not doing anything. Silly me, I know, but I finally understand people when they say, "So-and-So has forgotten how to relax." I guess another goal for this summer is to re-learn how to relax!

No Gains, No Losses

What is this post about? Just what the title says! I got on the scale this morning and I was actually happy I hadn't gained anything. I just wish I could lose 5 lbs instantly, and then I would be under a certain number for sure that I absolutely abhor! Time to exercise tonight...

Start of the Week

I've been up since 6:50 this morning, but I'm actually lasting pretty well! I got up, tutored for an hour, got ready for my temp job answering phones, dropped off the girls, dropped off our tax stuff at the accountant's, and when I go home, I plan on working out. I brought my lunch so I wouldn't spend money or be tempted by calories, so at least I can't snack today! My eyelids are a little heavy, but I've completed almost all the reading I needed to get finished today, I wrote an article for The Examiner --make sure to visit-- and I'm about to see if I can find some WW meals to make this week, so I can plan a grocery list.

Speaking of planning, although I've been a major planner most of my life, it wasn't until the past few years that I read about planning meals for the week. I don't mean to speak ill of anyone, but I wasn't taught to meal plan growing up--I don't remember my mother doing it. Maybe it's just my memory? Anyway, I've been trying to keep up with it, but I keep failing at the task. Any secrets out there for easy meal plans? It doesn't help that I'm such a picky eater, of course.

What a Day!

We slept in today, so we didn't make it to church as planned. So, I spent quite a while reading Bible stories to the girls, and then we ate the breakfast that Daddy likes to make, despite the caloric intake and fat gram overload. We listened to a tape in the car as we ran a few places, and I finished up day 152 of Lovely's school while we visited her grandparents. Next, we ate grilled steak, asparagus, beans, and low fat mac 'n cheese for dinner. Feeling inspired (or perhaps guilty), I did Workout 15 of the 30 Day Challenge, and I did an additional shape boxing session on the Wii, burning somewhere around 260 calories total. I think I need to add boxing in with each Wii Active workout, because I'm just not seeing the results. I also did 50 cross crunches and 10 of those mega hard crunches with your legs straight up in the air--misery! Maybe I'll finally start seeing results!

Time? What Time?

Whew! I just finished tutoring for two hours and my last student was well....we just won't go there!

I had to change my tutoring hours around for next week because I'm filling in answering phones/performing office work for someone from church for the next two weeks. Honestly, the opportunity couldn't have come at a better time! DH's work schedule has been lacking lately, and bills just keep coming! I got a lovely bill for a radiologist from Lovely's hospital visit last summer, so I called this morning after praying profusely, and I was informed, "Oh, that was just a computer glitch. Just ignore it." Gee, thanks for the $194.00 heart attack! But I am sooo thankful that it worked out! I did keep some tutoring hours on, but I realized I may be working 48 hrs next week in addition to homeschooling, my school, housework, and DH's payroll! YIKES! Can someone say S-T-R-E-S-S?

I don't know how exercise will go the next two weeks, but I'm going to give it a shot. I've been doing well with it, but I ate at the Mexican joint for lunch (I ordered a taco salad, which is small, but still not great--although it had very little cheese and lots of guacamole), but we ordered pizza tonight at my hubby's request, so I had two slices and a glass of coke (eek!). I'll be cleaning my mom's house tomorrow, so I hope to burn off some more calories. I did exercise this morning before gym/art/music classes, and then I went for a walk while my oldest daughter biked around the neighborhood--those little legs were getting with it!

Oh, and if you haven't noticed, I've started yet another blog. I plan on designing my own layout/template, but I haven't had time (can you believe that?), so I'll have to get to it later. I will be offering a writing program, tutoring, and testing, catering to homeschool kids. I'm praying that this venture goes well! I know I was given my love of writing for a reason, I just have to find His perfect will in which to use it.

Another Day, Another Workout

I went out to eat last night with a group of ladies, and boy was that Italian food good! At least we had salmon for an entree, although it was smothered in this made-from-heaven pesto sauce that I adored! I tried not to eat too much, but a certain box in my fridge is calling out my name....shhhhh!

I got up and exercised this morning, despite my deep love for countless hours of sleep. That workout wanted to kill me, too! I'm really having a problem with jump lunges, and jump any-things for that matter, because my ankle is not handling them too well. I've thought about wrapping it before working out, but that seems like something a real athlete would do, not out-of-shape me! My stamina is much improved, though, and my energy levels are much higher, especially when I get up early like this. The dreaded To-Do list is once again looming over me, though, so here I go, off to the next task...

The Right Choice

Talk about amazing! I was just remarking in my last post my reasons for not wanting to teach where I had been teaching previously. Today I went onto Yahoo and I see an article from the NY Times discussing the amount of money trade schools are raking in, despite the low wages graduates will most likely earn after they finish school! That was one of my main problems with where I taught--students had it in their heads that they were going to go on and get a BA or an MA from another college, not knowing that their degrees wouldn't transfer. To top that, they were taking out huge loans that gave them no option but to keep attending school and finish--or face the $11,000 in debt from a year (or less) of school. Granted, I think employment in this area for the medical field would have more opportunities for these graduates, but I just didn't believe in what these "for profit" schools were teaching.

I have been thinking about designing a writing program for homeschool students for a while now, and I've been praying about it. I have decided to take the plunge and I'm in the process of creating one, using state standards, but making it fun! Hopefully, I can work from home, encouraging students who actually want to learn, or at least value learning. I hope to have a website up this summer....we'll see :D

Meanwhile, on the weight front, I didn't gain anything and I have been following WW pts the past couple days. Yes, I've had at least two recipe flops, according to my darling husband, so I need to find some recipes with a bit more flavor. I have a favorite or two that he likes, but I'm quickly losing out....

Scheduling My "To-Do" List

Ahhhh, the infamous To-Do List, how you haunt me so! I just worked on my weekly schedule, hoping to see where I have free time. According to the schedule, there are quite a few openings this week. Too bad reality does not reflect this! I'm on spring break this week, so at least I don't have to go to class, but because we are off the following week as well due to my instructor cancelling class, I have a huge amount of reading to get done, along with writing a book review on a book about writing creative non-fiction--oh the joy! I have seriously lost interest in school at this point, and I just don't feel its benefits, so I'm leaning toward taking the summer off and seeing if any interest creeps back by next fall. As of now, I have my doubts. I had planned on getting my MA in English so I would be able to teach. Unfortunately, I've learned how unresponsive students can be to writing, not to mention reading, and how unbelievably mean they can be at times. Don't get me wrong--I've had lots of students who have told me how much they loved having me as a teacher, and I was brought to tears by one student who claims I was her favorite, most inspirational teacher. However, when you have a class of 40-some students, a month to teach composition in four-hour blocks of time two days a week and meeting online one day a week, you just get burnt out. I loved teaching and helping those who loved to learn, but once class size became so overwhelming that I dreaded reading their papers, I knew I wasn't giving it my best, and I firmly believe you shouldn't do anything unless you are going to do your best.

I digress.

This week, we'll be on starting on day 143 for DD1's school, so I'm excited to almost be finished. I'm even more excited for the upcoming homeschool convention so I can browse the other curricula available, and learn at workshops and sessions of which I'm actually interested in the subject matter. I plan on revamping my daughter's schooling so we can both be enthused more often than not about learning.

As for weight loss, I have avoided the scales the past few days. No, I haven't eaten perfectly, but I've tried to watch it more than not. I've planned out WW meals for this week, and I'm still following the exercise schedule, along with improvised walks when I can do so. I'm also going to turn into a mad cleaning fiend this week--I'm tired of the mess! It would help so much to have more space so everything could have a place! Wish me luck....no, just pray for me :)

Still Here

Yes, I'm still here. I got up early this morning and exercised on the Wii Active, which about killed me, but I did it. I am so tired, but I still have over 2.5 hours of tutoring left to do today. I also taught art lessons to two groups of kids for 30 minutes each--way too short for art! I'm sure I could have occupied them for at least an hour!

Anyway, I'm just tired and it's difficult to keep exercising when the scale isn't really showing a difference. I'm not sure what is going on, but it is a bit discouraging. Granted, I don't always eat the best, but really...no change. I only go up a couple of pounds, down a couple of pounds, and back up again. I'm starting to understand why people take diet pills! However, I've always had a fast heart rate, so I don't want to take any chances with diet pills (plus, they are a tad pricey!). I'm going to make a better meal plan this week (strictly WW meals), and go to the grocery store either tomorrow or Monday to get all ingredients. Then, maybe I'll see a difference after this week. I'm still exercising, though, because I have noticed a difference in stamina and energy (minus today).

Not Too Bad

Today was the day to pick up the kids' clothing items that didn't sell, so since we were over that way, we went to PF Chang's. I looked at the nutritional value menu ahead of time, so I ordered the salmon bowl with egg drop soup and water to drink. I loved the soup, but the salmon was a little dry for my taste. I didn't eat all the rice, either. I did have a bite of my mom's fried rice, a couple of DD2's noodles, and 1.25 pieces of chicken from DD1. Tonight, during class, I ate pretzels and a tiny (we're talking the size of my thumb) piece of the zucchini bread that I had baked & brought for class for snacks. I resisted everything else, so I feel pretty good about today.

I went on a long walk with the girls yesterday and I will be doing the next part of the 30 Day Challenge tonight...let's keep this thing rolling!

Ahhh..It's Saturday

Breathe a sigh of relief! The weekend has arrived!

I spent the day cleaning at my mom's house for her Easter company preparations. I vacuumed blinds, curtains, under beds, dusted a huge, hateful curio cabinet filled with anything that could possibly get a chip or a broken wing/beak/staff, etc., and there will be more to come. I came home and did day 5 of my 30 Day Challenge, and proceeded to play four games of tennis, all of which the computer won because after all, computer people with a skill level half of mine automatically win, or so it seems.

Wow! Am I cantankerous or what today? Ok, in addition to all of this, I ate at the Mexican joint again, but I have started giving half of my enchilada to my DD2, not that she needs it, but she's always hungry and she apparently expends a lot more energy than yours truly. Tonight, I ate leftover chicken 'n dumplings, sin the dumplings, which somehow got lost in the mix, along with grapes and a Lebanon balogna & cheese sandwich. Quite the mix, eh? After consuming such oddities, I got on Facebook and saw that my cousin has now lost 30 lbs by doing 'bootleg' Weight Watchers (not going to meetings, but following rules) and exercising. Well, here's my attempt at it, although I STINK at measuring (which is why I hate sewing). Why can't I just look at someone thin and lose the weight?

Pizza'd Out

Wow...I'm actually pizza'd out, something I never thought could happen. I made another pizza tonight from Whole Foods, but I added some extra seasoning and a little Asiago cheese. It was all right, but I think I'm getting sick of it, which is a good thing, I'm sure.

I got up this morning and burned I don't know how many calories on the next portion of the 30 Day Challenge. It went well and I'm noticing my legs aren't ready to fall off quite so easily by the end of the running sections. Tonight, I did two warm-up exercises on my cardio boxing, the sandbag, and dodging punches. Then, I played three games of tennis and went four rounds in boxing--beating all of my opponents! What a rush! j/k Next, I did some skateboarding on the Wii Active and finally made it all the way through the course! I must be in better shape if I was able to do that! I did a few other unmentionable games on there (I did so poorly at them, I can't mention them), so I'm a little impressed with how much effort I put forth today. Gooo Meee! haha And then I ate pizza...

Day of Rest

So yesterday was a day of rest, and boy! did I need it! According to the 30 Day Challenge, I exercise for two days, then I take off one day. For some reason, I felt awful yesterday: tired, sore throat, and pounding headache. However, I went to bed early last night and I woke up feeling SO much better today! I'll be exercising tonight (I had errands to run and tutoring to do today, along with homeschool--day 136 YAY!). I didn't eat that wonderfully today, but I've rejected Coke/Rootbeer for the day, I ate mashed potatoes without gravy...that kind of thing.

I had to go to my graduate class yesterday afternoon, which posed the question: can blogs be considered creative non-fiction? At first, I had no response, due to the lack of brain synapses occurring in my haggard health state, but I continued to think on it as my fellow students rejected even reading blogs (I know they all secretly blog under the guise of anonymity). I consider my blogs to be creative non-fiction; I think about what I write, I'm trying to make order out of chaos, and I reflect on what it all means. I try to provide some type of construction to my thoughts, despite any real evidence of resolution. Therefore, I'm writing almost every day, which is the nonsense famous writers tell aspiring writers to do, even though they themselves don't follow it. Maybe this will build the better writer in me. Go figure.

How Do They Do That??

Ever met someone like this? Ever been friends with someone like this? If that's not frustrating enough, I'm married to someone like this! Grrr...the other day he was complaining about gaining too much weight. Next thing I know, I look at him this morning and ask, "Honey, did you lose weight? You look thinner." His response: "Oh, ya. I went hiking yesterday....it was pretty mean. I lost eight pounds." And then he continues to fry umpteen strips of bacon for his breakfast.

Don't get me wrong; I'm happy he is so blessed. But talk about making it hard on a woman! I was happy because I got up, tutored, then exercised for 30 mins., doing the Wii Active and burning 201 calories. Then, I see him. Oh, well--I'll just keep at it!

Oh, and please forgive me for my first attempt at drawing a cartoon. I couldn't find one suitable without mean copyright restrictions....maybe they'll get better over time!