Shredding

Yesterday I started Day 1 of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. It was embarrassingly hard. But I started it and that's a big step. So I wanted to do my body measurements so I could see if there was a noticeable difference by the end of the 30 days. I also think I'm going to extend the work out to last 2-3 weeks for each workout (there are 3 sessions)

So here are my measurements:
R bicep- 14 3/4
L bicep- 14 1/2
R thigh- 27 1/2
L thigh- 26 1/2
Waist- 45 1/2
Bust- 48
Belly- 52 1/2
Hips- 50 1/2

As you can see my belly, hips and waist are my major problem areas. And I added the belly because that is the one body FLAW that I can NOT stand on my body. So I'd love to see it gone!!!

Today was day 2 on the shred and it went so much better. Not that it wasn't difficult by any means. But just smoother! Thanks for the encouragement and keep the positive words coming!!!

Crazy?!

Crazy?!
Not really :-) full of love, compassion, tender hearted and darn right odd! Yup, that's how I would describe myself. I'm a city girl turned country girl. A Mustang sports car lover turned "let's find a SUV that fits all of us" mama. I was K-12 privately schooled girl, public college educated young lady and now homeschool teacher to 5 children. Yup, that definitely makes me odd. Now for me to be crazy I'd have to add; love to stay home, homeschool 5 children, love to bake, scrapbook, crochet and spend time with my kids and husband.....oops! Guess I'm crazy!! Who does those kinds of things these days?? Not many. Just the ones that have the will power to stand out in a crowd. ;-) and boy do I stick out!!
In highschool did I ever think I would homeschool my kids? Didn't even think about it! Didn't even know anyone who was homeschooled. Probably would have called you Crazy! Did I change my opinion once I went to college?? Absolutely! I decided then and there that I needed my children's eyes opened to the many views on the world that I never got. Sure I want to protect my children from worldly views. But I also want them to not feel shell shocked once they get on their own. Feeling nieve and wanting to experience more that they should.
As much as people don't agree, homeschooling is not Crazy nor even for Crazy people. Homeschooling is just a word that I really think means, opportunities! So many benefits to homeschooling! I don't need to see my kids be 7 and act 15. They can be who they are and act their age. Play with dolls and pretend to be super heros till their 12+ years old. We don't need to take vacations because everyone says that's your time to go. We can take time out of our school week to actually get hands on learning, with museums, zoos, libraries, talk with actual people that have lived and been thru different time periods or historical events. Get down and dirty with the chickens and feed the horses or go to a mechanic and learn about engines or even learn a sport and play on a team. Sure not every child likes every subject or every learning experience. But yet, that's the whole point of learning...right??
I don't want to fight the crowds on the weekends to get what we need to get done before school starts again Monday morning. I don't want to start school in September...maybe, just maybe (you might want to sit down for this one ;) I like school all year around or I like to take a huge break in the spring not the summer. Whoa! Here we go into that Crazy Homeschool lady mode. LOL!
All in all, I just love being my children's teacher, nurse, mom, their supporter and life coach. I enjoy seeing them grow from their mistakes and them knowing that I will be right their when they just need a hug. I love that I can change their curriculum so it fits them and their learning needs. I know homeschooling isn't for everyone. And I know I'm odd and maybe a bit Crazy. But we have fun! We learn and are VERY smart.
Homeschooling means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. But you can never say Crazy until you try it....I dare you! :-)

Special Orders

More coming!!

Schools in session

What an amazing school year so far! It makes such a difference when you finally figure out the right curriculum for your children.
When my children are happy, mama's happy. Every day just goes so much smoother!
Olivia is learning that she has her dads smarts when it comes to math. Just flying through everything so far. Creative writing is not her favorite, but it was never mine either until I got much older. Reading, well she's a genius ;) and language is just challenging enough to keep her excited for the next day.
Sonja is so excites about passing her first reading and language tests. She has a bit more difficulty reading and understanding. But with those test results it really looks like she is catching on in her own pace. She is another math lover. Getting most of the work done before I can even explain it (and all the answers are correct :)
Forrest did start kindergarten last year but stopped half way through cause it was just to much for him at age 4. Now this year he's been doing 2 lessons a day because he just flies right through everything. He's learning to slow down his coloring and stay in the lines. He gets so proud of his art projects. He thinks he need to keep everything :)
Barron is so eager this year in preschool. Last year, at age 3, there was no way he would sit for ten minutes but now he'll stay for an hour. Tracing and writing the alphabet or dot to dot and number counting. He's bound and determined to know how to spell all his siblings names by heart. He loves spelling his name on everything.
Now Liam isn't in school yet :) but boy he sure loves his "quiet" time :)

Sure has been a great start to the year! And I hope yours is going as wonderful!

A Day of Cooking and Freezing

I'm really enjoying my kitchen! We've been in our house just over a year now and the benefits of having so much counter space is priceless! I feel grateful that I have all this space, no other place we've lived was able to suit our needs.
Today I had my mom on Monster Cookie duty. She makes the best, so why not have her make them instead of me botching them up :) The kids mouths were just salivating when they saw all that goes into those cookies. Then to see how big we baked them, mmmmm, they will be having cookie dreams tonight!
On another counter I was using my new toy :) an apple slicer, peeler, cutter(thank you Stephanie for showing me this!). It was soo helpful! No carpal tunnel today! I got the first apples cut and ready for the crockpot, I love that toy also!! Two batches of applesauce in each crockpot and just let them go. Yup that was on another counter.
So I needed the next counter to cut more apples for apple pie filling. Got only five bags of filling done when I ran out of apples and freezer space.
Anyway I thought I'd share a recipe or two from today.

Apple Pie Filling
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
8-9 medium apples
Pour the first 3 ingredients into gallon freezer bag, then add apples. Zip shut, shake. Then reopen and take air out of bag. Zip shut. Date it and its ready for the freezer. When ready to use, defrost and add to pie crust.
So, so easy!!

Crockpot Applesauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
10 medium apples, sliced,peeled and cut
Place all ingredients into crockpot, mix, and turn on low for 8-10 hours. Let cool and spoon into gallon size freezer bags. Freeze.

Easy peasy!

{{I'm so thankful for my mom for making this day so productive! And hope for many more!! Love you mom!}}