Homeschooling for 3

Wow! I’ve made it to Week 7! This week has been kind of eventful on the health front. I did very well at the beginning of the week. It was FREEZING in Pennsylvania  and exercise was definitely a great way to warm up. I had cut back to 32 minutes a day (that’s how long my yoga routine generally takes on Wii Fit) but by Wednesday was back to my hour of exercise (aerobic and yoga).  Then the heatwave came through and besides light yoga I haven’t had the inclination to exercise anymore than walking through flea markets and on the beach with my children.

Heat has never really bothered me before, but I can see that this year I’ll be spending a lot of time poolside if I am going to workout with any frequency. It’s either that or exercise at 3 in the morning … which just might be an idea because that really cuts down on the possibility of someone saying “Mommy!” while I’m attempting to breathe and maintain a challenging yoga pose! Read more… »

Technorati Tags: chocolate chip breakfast muffins, diet, exercise, gardening, non-GMO, organic

Right off the bat I want to thank Mrs. Gregg and her family for sharing these wonderful recipes with me. The information contained within the book was an eye-opening (and mouth watering experience) for me. Before being asked to review this book I had never made anything from scratch. And I certainly never knew what real wheat berries and fresh barley looked like. Barley was what was in the box of Gerbers’ baby food when I was introducing solids to my babies. I mean, real people ate that stuff? Read more… »

Technorati Tags: cooking, corn bread, non-GMO, nutrition, Sue Gregg, whole foods

Well, I stole these ideas straight from Jack Card’s email to me.  They ideas were so good that I just had to share. And there are many more on their Facebook Fan page. Be sure to share these articles with husbands (and others) who just can’t seem to think of a Mother’s Day gift that goes beyond candy and flowers.  (If you’re wondering what I’d like, just check for “YES!”)

“Moms love… Read more… »

Technorati Tags: appreciation, gifts, greeting cards, Jack Cards, Mother's Day

I was asked to review Jack Cards sometime ago and I finally had an opportunity to use my free credit for one card (the one pictured here) when my niece Lela was born. I went to their website (www.jackcards.com) and signed up for their free membership. Getting the free membership is important because without it you’ll miss out on all the benefits such as a personal planner that lets you keep track of contacts, events, scheduled cards, cards that have already been delivered, a compilation of your favorite cards and more.

One of the things that is becoming more important to me is that Jack Cards is that they’re an environmentally friendly company. Most of their cards are made of recycled materials. For that reason alone I would encourage you to take a look at their stock and see if there’s anything that suits your style and personality. Read more… »

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I don’t know if you’re familiar with Connect the Thoughts or 1st Step not, but they are a curriculum company that really works on developing critical thinking skills for children and adults alike.  I’ve purchased a few of their courses (see the list below) over the past two years and have been quite pleased with them.

• Connect the Thoughts – How To Do Research,
• Connect the Thoughts – You or Them — Control Over Your Life
• Connect the Thoughts Basics Course – Information, Right or Wrong Read more… »

Technorati Tags: 1st Step, Connect the Thoughts, currclick, ebooks, free curriculum, sale

This week I am happy to report that I did not gain any weight, despite my husband’s generous gift of 12 chocolate brownies from Boston Market. And for the record I only ate 4 5 of the brownies. The rest went to my husband who is supposed to be working off his own weight, but that’s another story.

I only worked out 3 times this week because I was tired and didn’t want to push myself into another bout of skipping heartbeats and other annoyances. The downside of not exercising is that I started feeling those old aches and pains that I go to the chiropractor for, so I guess I have turned into an exercise junkie with painful affects when I don’t indulge.  At least that’s a healthy addiction.

Although I always eat my veggies, I need to up my ante this week to get myself back on track, especially since my exercise routine has been shortened from 60 minutes to 30 minutes a day. I’ve fallen in love with the organic lettuce my husband picked up from the store, so I’m thinking of growing my own this summer, in addition to the tomatoes and strawberries. What do you think?

Well, that’s all for now. I hope that everyone else had a successful week of being a Fit Mommy!!

photo credit: jespahjoy

Technorati Tags: brownies, exercise, strawberries, tomatoes

This beautifully illustrated  four book series “Seasons of Faith” is based on four of the best Children’s Bible Hour (created by CBH Ministries) radio scripts. The four books that I received for review were:

• You Can’t Come In (Summer)
  
• Braving the Storm (Winter)
  
• Race with Midnight (Spring)
  
• Seventy Times Seven (Autumn)
  

Of the four, “Seventy Times Seven“  was my favorite with with “Braving the Storm” a close second because they were the most realistic scenarios for me. “Seventy Times Seven” illustrated the point that we all struggle with — learning to be empathetic and forgiving others in the manner that we wish to be forgiven.

My daughters were split on their favorite. My older daughter enjoyed “You Can’t Come In” while the younger daughter really loved “Race with Midnight” (she’s an animal lover so I think that was the deciding factor). I guess our choices also reflect where we are on our journey of life.

My oldest daughter actually was frightened by “Braving the Storm” because it dealt with real world problems such as losing a job, injuries, etc. At 10 she’s working very hard to remain an innocent child and I guess that story had too much realism for her. I on the other hand appreciated the realism in the last two books. The first two books were a bit to pat for my tastes.

One feature that I thought was such a great idea is the inclusion of the CDs with each story. This allows my younger daughter to follow along with the book and get familiar with new words or just enjoy the story whenever she wants. I love reading with my children, but sometimes time is an issue and the CD can be my surrogate reader.

The four book/CD series costs $40 or you can buy individual books/CDs for $10 a piece. I think this is a good addition  the library of  families who want to inspire their children to follow in Christ’s footsteps.

Khalid Family: 4 stars out of 5

Disclaimer: http://cmp.ly/1/yqs65n

Technorati Tags: bible, books, CBH Ministries, CDs, Children's Bible Hour, Christian themes, faith building

This week I didn’t get a perfect 7 day/1 hour exercise session in, but I did get 6 shorter sessions in so I guess I’m not a complete slacker. I was really having a hard time with my health this week, so I was trying to take it easier. I did lose the 1.8 lbs. from last week so that’s always a happy thing.

My friends/family have gotten me to admit that I’m exhausted so I’ve been trying to sleep when possible.  Also, I am stressing out about the stupid tests that I have to administer to my daughter to keep the state of PA happy. Does anyone else have to do testing?

Anyway, I digress. So, feeling kind of depressed I had a couple of peanut butter cups and fell back into eating after 9 p.m. So next week I definitely need to get back on the non-eating program after 9 p.m. I’ve found that to be one of the key ways that I’ve been able to lose the little bit of weight I’ve lost so far. I’ve also changed my exercise to just walking and yoga for the time being.  Once I get caught up on my rest I can start the more vigorous forms of exercise.

Well, that’s it for this week.  I hope to have great news (20 pounds disappeared overnight would be nice!) during Fit Mommy Friday: Week 6.

Technorati Tags: exercise, sleep, weight loss

This week started out very well for me. I actually exercised  7 days straight (yea me!) and was getting back to eating more veggies. My husband discovered this great lettuce from Boston. It’s called Living Lettuce and it actually comes with the lettuce roots attached to it. It tastes soooo good that we were all just picking off leaves like I used to pluck up potato chips.  I have to get some more (and find the link to share with everyone.) Read more… »

Technorati Tags: mitral valve prolapse, weight gain

Here are some thoughts on education from Abigail Adams, mother of John Quincy.

John Quincy, age 10, had been sent to France with his Dad to associate with Benjamin Franklin and the great political philosophers of France.  And they risked his life for that – for his education.

John Quincy, a little boy, received this letter from his Mom, Abigail.

“These are the times in which genius would wish to live.  It is not in the still calm of life or the repose of a pacific station that great characters are formed.  The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties.  Great necessities call out great virtues.  When a mind is raised and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant wake into life and form the character of the hero and the statesmen.”

Now, there are several interesting things going on in that letter.  For all the times that she mentions the mind, in the last sentence she says, “When a mind is raised and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant wake into life and form the character of the hero and the statesman.”  In other words, the mind itself isn’t enough. You have to have heart.

John Quincy came home from Europe to prepare for Harvard [he was under the age of twelve at this time].  And he had not been home inMassachusetts very long when Abigail received a letter from her sister saying:

“John Quincy was a very impressive young man – and of course everybody was quite astonished that he could speak French – but that, alas, he seemed a little overly enamored with himself and with his own opinions and that this was not going over very well in town.“

So Abigail sat down and wrote a letter to John Quincy.  And here’s what she said:

“If you are conscious to yourself that you possess more knowledge upon some subjects than others of your standing, reflect that you have had greater opportunities of seeing the world and obtaining knowledge of mankind than any of your contemporaries.  That you have never wanted a book, but it has been supplied to you.  That whole time has been spent in the company of men of literature and science.  How unpardonable would it have been in you to have turned out a blockhead.”

How unpardonable it would be for us – with all that we have been given, all the advantages we have, all the continuing opportunities we have to enhance and increase our love of learning – to turn out blockheads or raise blockheads. (Knowing History and Knowing Who We Are byDavid McCullough, Historian, Imprimis, April 2005, Volume 34, Number 4)

John Quincy’s behavior demonstrates that “knowledge without love is puffed up.” Sharon says it this way:  “Learning is first spiritual.”

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge.  Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. (1 Corinthians 8: 1)

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