Arkansas friends...or those with friends in AR, please share.

The son of one of my dear homeschooling friends will have a show on your local PBS station; it's called Paint with Kevin. It will be airing in the morning at 10 a.m. If you don't live in AR, you can see shorter videos of him on YouTube under the same title...or on his website.

Thanks so much!!! Have a great weekend!!!

Fitness Check-In: 4/2/14

Even with everything going on with my mom, I still managed to get some workouts in.

Monday: Fitness 101
Tuesday: Nothing
Wednesday: Step class
Thursday: Dance class (I was a little late as I slept in a little.)
Friday: My dance class
Nothing over the weekend

My absence

On March 22nd, my mom suffered a mild stroke, and she was hospitalized until Monday, the 24th. However, my sister and I have been trying to come up with a plan for her future care since she also has other major medical issues (diabetes, Parkinson's, and major heart disease-including two open heart surgeries already). Trying to research care facilities and other things have taken up the majority of time over the past week and a half. If there are any other sudden absences, they will probably be due to helping out Mom.

Even though I know you didn't have a choice but to wait for me to post again, I do appreciate your patience and reading my posts.

Weight Loss Check-In: 4/2/14

There have been a lot of things going on in my life over the last week or two. I'll try to post about it later, but suffice it to say I should be back at regular posting this week. (At least for a little while.)

Back to posting stats: Since the last time, I've lost 1.6 pounds; Gained 1/2" in the chest; Hips stayed the same.

Philippians 1:11

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation – the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ – for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
~Philippians 1:11~

As moms, homeschoolers no less, we have the tendency to give until we don't have anything left to give. We empty ourselves on a daily basis...even hourly. If we don't remember to fill ourselves up, we've got nothing to give to our families. We're meant to be filled with the fruit of our salvation or righteous character. What is that fruit? Galatians 5:22-23 gives us quite a list: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Some days, I remember fairly well to have most of those.

When things don't go the way I planned, do I remember to control my reaction? Do I practice self-control? I know I try to...and have to ask for extra grace on those days when I just don't “feel” it. How about you? Are you reactive or pro-active? (I don't mean the acne program either.) We are to PROduce fruit and be PROactive. We are not meant to be spectators in our own lives. God wants to actively use us. When I haven't practiced self-control, it means my day has revolved around me and my feelings rather than what He might want to teach me in those situations. Like John the Baptist says, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” Why is that the way it is supposed to be? The last phrase of the verse has it absolutely right...”for this will bring much glory and praise to God”.

Wow! Has this covered a lot or what? Usually, we're really good at producing most of the fruit most days. On days where we've failed, we just need to remember to go to the One Who modeled this for us. When we fail miserably and feel like we were fruitless the entire day while our kids were watching, we can always lead them back to the Word. Let them see how Jesus would've handled it. If need be, we need to apologize to them for anything said or done while we were “out of control”. It's very humbling, but they realize we aren't perfect. The only One who was and is perfect is Christ Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father~
I don't even know where to start today. I need so much the fruit the Holy Spirit gives. I realize there are days I do pretty well, but, on other days, I fail to produce anything. I pray, in those moments when I am reacting to things, You will put Your Hand over my mouth, keep me in my place, and quiet my spirit. Give me Your peace and patience, Lord.
Yielding to You~ Amen

Fitness Check-In: 3/17/14

Monday: Fitness 101 (Beginning Step/Hand weights/mat work)
Tuesday: Int/Adv Step
Wednesday: 50 min on the bike and all but one of my weight machines
Thursday: Dance
Friday: Dance (no belly dancing in the morning as back was still flaring.)
Nothing this weekend because we were enjoying a visit from my sister.

Weight Loss Check-In: 3/10/14

I never was able to do the stats for last week, so here are the stats since two weeks ago:

Lost 1.1 pounds...and all of my measurements stayed the same.

Philippians 1:10

For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.
~Philippians 1:10~

How do you convey what really matters to you? You discuss it all the time, don't you? What do your children believe is important to you? Homeschool curriculum? Their grades? Their penmanship? How often do you talk about Jesus to your kids? For that matter, how often do I?

Each day as I study (and write) these devotionals, I get just as convicted as I think you will. Just today at lunch, I spent quite awhile probing my kids for their thoughts on the curriculum we're using. Other than praying over our meal, we didn't speak about Him. I truly believe the saying that, “Christ is the head of every house, the unseen guest at every meal, and the silent listener to every conversation.” What exactly did He see and hear? What does He see and hear at your house? I know some days we forget that. We can be so wrapped up in what's happening in our lives that we don't remember that He is there with us.

When we remember He is with us, it makes us more aware of what choices we're making each and every day. When those choices are following His will for us and our kids, we know we are living lives that are pure and blameless. What a relief that can be! (<-- That's this font's exclamation point.) Imagine what it would be like to never have to second guess ourselves. How much freedom would you experience? We wouldn't have doubts about WHAT we're using to homeschool our kids, HOW we're homeschooling them, and most importantly WHY we're homeschooling them. If you don't know the what, how, or why you're teaching your kids, now is the time to pray asking for the Holy Spirit's guidance to help you find your own motivation. I can tell you it is very difficult to stay on course during this journey without knowing your own motivations. To avoid burnout, we need to always be mindful of the fact that Christ is the head of every house and every homeschool. If He has truly called us to homeschool, He is faithful to equip us to do just that. That is how we, as homeschoolers, live in a way that is pure and blameless.

Father God~
I would love to feel what it's like to live a pure and blameless life. I feel like I fail in so many ways on a daily basis. Show me how not to feel like that. I want to relinquish control to You. If I need to change my focus or resources for homeschooling (or any area of life), please bring it to my mind. I want You to understand You really matter to me...and I want my kids to know You matter to me, too.
In Jesus' Name~ Amen

My Diabetic Journey: Part 2

In December 2006, I had my worst experience with diabetes. Although I thought I just had a really bad stomach flu that was going around that year. I had vomiting and diarrhea...and NOTHING stayed down. Not even spoonfuls of liquids. (I had just gotten news of a particularly painful emotional nature and was a complete wreck!)

After about two days of trying to take care of me on their own, it was my daughter who called my mom, who was a LVN, to come help. I remember lying on the bed facing the wall and trying to get some rest when my mom walked in the room. When she started talking to me, I remember how serious her voice and face immediately got. She told the kids to call 9-1-1, so I could go to the hospital ASAP. I begged and pleaded not to call for an ambulance because I had no insurance and that was just going to cost even more money. They got in contact with one of the deacons from a church we had been attending who rushed over and got me in their SUV. I was in the ER shortly after that. I remember sitting in the wheelchair and starting to slump down when my mom pounded on the double doors for someone to come help me right away. They came out and took me in the back. I don't even remember them taking my blood, but my blood sugar/glucose level was 720!!! YIKES!!! I had diabetic ketoacidosis (aka DKA).

I was in the ER for almost 12 hours before a room finally opened up in the ICU. I was extremely dehydrated to the point where they gave me over 12 units before I even thought of having to use the restroom. I was in the ICU for another 2.5 days before I was transferred to a telemetry room where I spent another 2 days. I was put on insulin while in the hospital. After my release and seeing another doctor, I was also put on Metformin. I continued take both of those daily up until last year.

I thought I was well-controlled on my meds because I knew just how much to take of the Humulin and the Metformin. I was following and eating plan I thought was working because I knew how to control my levels...until the hormones would kick in once a month. (I would always spike to over 200 no matter what I did...until we discussed using Depo-Provera to stop my cycles. It worked...BTW.) How much Humulin 70/30 was I taking every day? It was a sliding scale but between 35-50 twice a day. I was taking 1000mg/1 gm of Metformin twice daily as well. That was keeping me in check and my doctor/NP happy.

Late in 2012, my dd, N, and I decided to research diets to find one that we thought we could stick with long-term and would be relatively cheap and easy. Discipline wasn't really the issue because we were already working out at the Y 5-6 days a week. That's when we came across Atkins. Since being on Atkins, I haven't had ANY Humulin or Metformin for a year!!! Praise the Lord!!! It has truly been a Godsend for us.

I do still check my blood sugar...especially when I add new things back into my diet or if I'm not feeling too well. It's been just fine. That is the first thing I always go to check now.

I am living proof you can turn this lifestyle of Type2 diabetes around. (I should mention that when I was taken to the ER I was not overweight, so you can still have Type2 and be at a normal weight.)

Have a blessed day...and thanks for reading!!!

Fitness Check-In: 3/8/14

Monday: Fitness 101
Tuesday: Step
Wednesday: Rest day because my lower back was flaring up.
Thursday: Dance class
Friday: Belly Dance class in the morning then taught my own dance class in the evening.

(Can I just say I am SOOO sore from my shoulders down to my ribcage!?!) I'm also thinking of saving money to take Pilates again. I really do miss it.

Philippians 1:9

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
~Philippians 1:9~

I think it's safe to say this verse sums up exactly what you and I want for ourselves and our children. We want our love for others to overflow so much into our kids. How do we make sure we are full of love instead of being at our wit's ends at times? Are you like me? Sometimes I don't feel like I have that much to give, but I know Who can fill me again. We need to make sure we have spent sufficient time with our Father. He fills us with love (and patience), so we can pass it along to those around us. It's only from our own resources that we can share with others...especially those closest to us. If our entire family is overflowing, His love naturally flows from our house to the world around us. Isn't that what we want? Or better yet, isn't that what He wants?

The second part of this verse is fairly easy to see how it relates to homeschooling. What does He want for our kids after His love has been planted in their hearts and lives? He wants them to “keep on growing in knowledge and understanding”. In Proverbs, we read over and over how the beginning of knowledge is the fear of the Lord. Are you making sure your children have a healthy fear or respect for the Lord? How do you help them to have that? Mainly, that comes from natural consequences...and discipline if rules are not followed. One consequence can be, if they don't finish their work, they don't get to play. You have the distinct privilege of making sure all of their work helps them to grow in knowledge and understanding. Are you yourself continuing to grow in those areas? I can assure you the day is coming when they will ask you questions to which you may not yet know the answers. You need to be in the Word daily studying for yourself what He wants you to learn, so you can pass it along to your children.


Dear Father God~
I know You love me and want the best for me...just like You do for my kids. There are days where I just don't know how You do that for all of Your children. I want You to fill me to overflowing, so I have plenty to give to my children and family. Part of loving You and my children is making sure we all continue growing in Your knowledge and understanding. I know I want to follow Your will for my life...and I want my children to learn to do the same. As we love You more, we naturally grow more and more.
Your Loving Child~ Amen

Fitness Check-In: 3/1/14

Monday: Fitness 101 class
Tuesday: Step
Wednesday: Modified workout in the Fitness Center due to time constraints
Thursday: Dance
Friday: Taught my dance class (Sparse turnout due to flooded streets in our are but still fun)
Saturday: 45 min on the bike and all my machines but the glutes
Tomorrow is my day of rest.
Have a great weekend! Happy March!

Sleepless on a Wednesday night...sigh

Finally, I'm catching up on sleep I lost on Wednesday night. For some reason, I only slept 4 hours, and I was up at 3:30 in the blessed morning...which is definitely NOT my normal hour of arising. I just couldn't get back to sleep, and I was pretty brain-dead for all of Thursday. It's a wonder how I stayed upright during the dance class that morning. I hadn't felt that sleep-deprived since my kids were little.

Philippians 1:8

God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 1:8~

The beginning of this verse, “God knows...”, reminds us how He knows everything about all of us. He knows how much we love others...especially our families. God knows our hearts and what we really desire for our children. Sometimes we can't even put into words or actions just how much we love them. We need to get to know our children and teens, so we know how best to help them in every area of their lives. Homeschooling moms are in just the right position to learn everything about their kids. That can make it easier to choose how best to proceed with their middle and high school years. In our homeschool, I have them do a semester's worth of career studies around 8th grade especially if they're unsure of what their career path is. Once they knew what they wanted to be, we could then determine whether they need a college-preparatory, vocational, or general diploma. From there, we discussed and planned how the next four years will look in high school. During this time, I had to make sure the goal is really theirs...and not what I wanted for them.

If those goals are not theirs, they will just get more and more frustrated...and so will you. If the frustration is lasting and/or grows worse, it is up to you to sit down and re-evaluate what the source is. Do they still have the same goal? Are the resources we're using just not right for their learning style or goal? This is where we need to show the compassion of Christ. Part of the definition of compassion is “a strong desire to alleviate the suffering”. After re-evaluating, we need to get them motivated again to stay on their path. If this is truly their goal, it won't take much to do that...even during the middle of diagramming sentences or an algebra lesson.



Dear Heavenly Father~
Sometimes I feel such a weight on my shoulders in teaching my children. I want so much to do what's right by my children. I love them SO much and only want the best for them. Please help me to turn over whatever dreams I may have for their future, so their dreams can be realized. Help us also to make sure those same dreams are aligned with what You want them to be, so they can help further Your Kingdom.
In Your Hands~ Amen

Fitness Check-In: 2/24/14

Monday: Fitness 101
Tuesday: Step
Wednesday: 10 min on the bike, most of my weight machines, and about 20 min of the dance class. (FUN!!!)
Thursday: Dance
Friday: My dance class (It was SO fun to see some young girls in my class! We had a blast!)
Nothing this weekend. I really need to get motivated to do more on Saturday.

Weekly Weigh-In: 2/24/14

This week's stats: Gained 0.3 pounds, 1/2" in the chest and hips. Lost 1/2" in the waist. Heading to Fitness 101 this morning. 

Philippians 1:7b

You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.
~Philippians 1:7b~

God's special favor, His grace, is what's required to get through each and every day. We all know there are some days that we need even more of it just to get the bare necessities done...daily housekeeping, language arts/English, and math. During times when life is a daily struggle or hourly one, we need to remember to lean on His everlasting arms to hold us up. Maybe you're in one of those valleys right now. Keep the faith! He will be there to get you through it. If you're on a mountaintop, thank Him for the wonderful view...and enjoy every minute of it!

Do you ever wonder how you're going to deal with being cooped up in the house every day with the kids for the duration of their schooling? It can be a daunting task. Whether we are suffering from “cabin fever” or out enjoying the day, we should still be sharing the gospel. We have Good News to share every day with everyone. No matter what we're going through, it can't compare to the agony and anguish our Lord and Savior suffered before His death. In the shadow of the cross, we have a whole new perspective of our own circumstances. He does care about every detail of our lives and the lives of our children. Because of that, we need to show Him how much we appreciate His love and sacrifice.

According to today's verse, we are to “defend and confirm the truth” of the gospel. How are we meant to defend the truth? When I think of defensive action, I think of sports which is unusual because I watch very little sports. Defensive players are meant to protect their end zone, goal, or basket to the best of their ability. This leads me to believe we are meant to protect the truth of the gospel. We must not let anything harm the purity of the gospel. If we don't know how to do it ourselves, we need to study our Bibles. Our kids will find it much easier to defend it if we can show them how to study and discern alongside them...and by doing so, we also confirm the truth of the Scriptures.

Father God~
I pray for the wisdom to learn the Scriptures effectively. I would love to be able to aptly defend the truth. Please also help me to learn how to teach my kids to be able to do the same. We need your grace to help us get through each day. Help us find those things we can use to accomplish everything to confirm and defend our faith. Bring to light anything in our home and schooling that doesn't do that.
In Your Service~ Amen

Fitness Check-In: 2/17/14

Monday: Fitness 101
Tuesday: Step Class...and worked on my own choreography.
Wednesday: Light day in the Fitness Center since I had to take kids to the dentist.
Thursday: Dance...and more choreo work.
Friday: My dance class!!! SO fun!!!
Nothing over the weekend, but I'm hoping to change that this week.

Weekly Weigh-In: 2/17/14

This week's stats: Gained 3.6 pounds and 1" in the waist. Lost 1" in the hips. Chest stayed the same. (I know that was due to eating things I either don't normally eat or more frequently than usual.) Back on it today with Fitness 101 and normal eating. Lesson learned.

Weekly Weigh-In: 2/10/14

This week's stats: Lost 2.6 pounds, 1" in the chest, and 1.5" in the waist. My hips stayed the same. Have a great day!

Philippians 1:7a

So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart.
~Philippians 1:7a~

Homeschooling and homeschool moms have a very special place in my heart...if you haven't figured that out yet. I can talk for hours with other moms. I know most of us have basic things in common: we feel this is our calling, we want to do what's best for our children, and we all have some measure of doubt whether we're accomplishing those things.

I think the longer we homeschool, the clearer our vision becomes. We start to figure out what methods of homeschooling work best for our families. We learn what goals our children have...and help research how to meet and exceed those goals. As we learn more about our kids and our capability of teaching them, we also tend to have more questions about how to plan their remaining school years. Are they interested in pursuing a career which will require college? Are they headed for something that requires a vocational school or better yet becoming an entrepreneur? Whatever path they choose, we need to help motivate them and encourage them in their pursuit.

We need to make sure our children know they have worth and have a sense of purpose. If our relationship with our own kids is strained, we need to make it right. How do we do that? We make sure we're honest with them. We take them seriously...even when it comes to things we don't like. It makes even more of an impact if we take those things seriously BECAUSE they do. They will know we can put our own feelings aside to make them a priority. They know they're important to us if we remember the little details because God remembers the little details about us. It's especially important to build the relationships, so they feel safe in coming to us when they need guidance or just to talk. Do your children know they have a special place in your heart? Have you told them that lately?

Dear Heavenly Father~
Please help me to examine my relationships with each of my children. Bring to light any part that needs work. It can be very difficult to know how to guide them. Especially as a homeschooler, SO much of their future seems to be up to us. At times, I feel so inadequate to prepare them for whatever You have in store for them. Please help guide me in the way to make them ready for their life and service to you. I need You to help me and my kids to rely on You for the future and all that entails...for all of us.
In Your Son's Name~ Amen

Why am I on this journey for my health?

This is the main reason why I work out: Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (1 Cor. 6:19, 20- NLT) Other reasons are for my kids and to have fun!!!

Fitness Check-In: 2/8/14

Monday: Fitness 101
Tuesday: Int/Adv Step
Wednesday: Fitness Center (50 min on the bike and most of my weight machines)
Thursday: Dance
Friday: Dance (Teaching my first dance class!!!)
Nothing this weekend.

Goji Berry Allergies

About a year ago, I tried a foundation that had Goji berries in it and had a terrible reaction to it. My face was swollen, red, itchy, and so attractive...NOT! It was like that for about three days, so I have been careful to read labels looking for Goji berries. Doing that actually stopped me from buying a haircare product I was super excited about trying. I have gray hair, and I wanted to try this product from Jhirmack. I'm really glad I went online and read the ingredients. Lo and behold, there was Goji berry listed on the label. Phew! Saved me from that again.

However, it didn't save me from it on Monday. I had bought another foundation in the same Maybelline Instant Age Rewind line because I didn't see anywhere on the ingredients "Goji berry". I put it on Monday and wore it all day. By the time I washed it off, my face was a big ugly mess and got worse. After taking two Benadryl and some Alavert, I was finally able to go to sleep. I was miserable.

Before I fell asleep though, I did a quick comparison of the ingredients in the two foundations to see what was going on. What was the culprit? Sure enough it was Goji berry, BUT it was listed under the scientific name...lycium barbarum. After a quick Google search, it popped up. UGH! Why couldn't they just put on the front of the label that it had Goji Berry in it like on the other foundation??? It would've saved me a very comfortable few days this week. (I really did like the coverage, but I'm NOT going through that every time I wear it.)

I hope this will save someone else from experiencing what I did...even if you THINK you might be sensitive to them.

I'm SOOOOO excited!!!

I start teaching my class tomorrow!!! It's a lower-impact dance class to mainly Disney songs. There are other family-friendly songs, too. It's been in the works since the summer, so it's FINALLY here!!!

Weekly Weigh-In: 2/3/14

This week's stats: Gained 1.5 pounds and 1" in the chest and hips. Waist stayed the same. Hello hormones! (Ugh.) Still heading to the Y soon.

Our "Normal" Homeschooling Schedule

When we first started homeschooling, we followed the traditional school year and week; we schooled from late August/September through May or June...and Monday through Friday. A few years later, we tweaked it slightly to sort of mimic the year-round track of some really good friends of ours, so the kids could get together and have the same time off. I really like that schedule because that's where I got the idea of taking off from before Thanksgiving through New Year's. I didn't have to try to squeeze school in around dealing with the hectic schedule of the holidays.

A few years into that schedule, the kids joined a homeschool bowling league on Mondays. It met at noon. Since we're all pretty much night owls, it was very difficult to get any schooling in before bowling...let alone after it. We adjusted our school week to be Tuesday through Saturday.

Shortly thereafter, I also realized that a big 6-8 week break during the holidays was great for everything but academics. We shifted our school year to begin mid-January and end the first week of November. (Some years we've schooled through November, but we aim to be done the first week.) No, we don't take the summers off because it's generally too hot here to do anything. So why not school then anyway? We're already staying inside.

There ya have it. We school mid-January through around November and Tuesday through Saturday. Oh! We also don't start school until after lunch. Talk about being rebels! None of the kids are in the bowling league anymore. (Two are graduated.) We do still meet one of the families we met on the league for lunch and talking every Monday instead. It's our crazy, mixed-up homeschooling life, and it works wonderfully for us!

Fitness Check-In: Week ending 2/1/14

Last week was an odd week. The instructor who teaches most of the classes I take has been ill all week, so I spent Monday-Thursday in the Fitness Center on the bike and doing my weight machines. (Yes, I do all my weight machines every day I'm in the FC. I like the results better when I do that.) On Friday, I spent about a half hour practicing my class actually in the Group X room, then I did most of my machines. The weekend was a little hectic, so I never made it to work out on Saturday. (Our water was turned off for most of the morning, and, trust me, I need to make sure I can get a shower after I work out. The people around me would really appreciate it.)

Philippians 1:6

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
~Philippians 1:6~

According to Webster's dictionary, the first definition for the word certain is fixed, settled. This could easily be substituted in the beginning of this verse. It is settled “that God [who] began the good work within you.” God started something good in you! You, in turn, are starting something good in your children...or have already started. It's the trickle-down theory at work. God works within you, and you help God to work within your children. How awesome is that!?!

Even on days where it seems like nothing has gone well, when nothing seems to have been accomplished, He promised He WOULD continue that work until it was finished. I can testify that this is true. This is the beginning of our 16th year of homeschooling. I have now graduated two of my kids. It is finally finished! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! This phase of parenting is over for these kids. When I began this journey, I was newly separated and had a third grader, a kindergartener, and a three-year-old. I can tell you He has remained faithful during all of these years. Through all of our curriculum switches and times it felt like we hardly got things done, His faithfulness endured.

He will do the same for you. He has promised He will continue to work within you until Jesus' return. What do you have to do? It's as easy and as difficult as letting Him. You need to rely on Him daily. I believe Proverbs 3:5-6 says it best. “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”

Dear Father God~
I want so very much to trust you to complete your work within me. Some days it feels like it's a simple do-it-yourself project, and other days it feels like a complete renovation down to the studs. Since You have done this for my homeschooling sister, I'm going to believe You will do it for me, too. I am excited, and maybe a little apprehensive, about what your finished work will look like when this journey is over. I want to be able to have my own testimony of what a profound impact Your work within me has had.
In Your Hands~ Amen

Discipline and the Single Parent

Even when going through a divorce, your kids still need to know rules are still rules. There will still be a routine and schedule. There will still be consequences for breaking the rules. I know it may seem like a cruel thing to discipline your kids when going through such a hard time. However, they need the consistency as well as you.In the moment, it is hard to follow through when you know you all are hurting. You need to keep in mind what your goal is for your children in the long run. It can be especially difficult if their other parent is extra lenient or inconsistent.

I had to remember I wanted to be the best single parent God wanted me to be. Letting them get away with breaking the rules would only serve to teach them that you only have to follow the rules when everything is right with their world. I really didn't want my kids to learn that. When life is full of difficulty and hurt, the lesson I wanted them to learn was rely on God. He will get you through...and He will provide a way to either get out of it or get through it. Many times He wants to use the situation to teach us lessons.

Single mom or single dad, how do you want your kids to deal with difficulties in their life? What do you want them to know? Figure those things out...really. Do you have those things written down or at least clear in your mind? Great. Here comes the tough question: How are YOU an example of those things? How am I doing with that? Let God show you how to deal with everyday situations. Let Him lead you to the right way to parent your kids. Be the best mom or dad you know how to be with His help. 

Fitness Check-In: 1/25/14

Monday: Fitness 101 again. (One of my favorites!)
Tuesday: Step
Wednesday: No workout...just a ton of driving, errands, and homeschooling.
Thursday: About 20-25 minutes of dance. There was a sub in the class, and the different routines and my other medical issues didn't merge well.
Friday: Fitness Center (50 min on the bike and my weight machines.)
No workouts over the weekend.

Thankfully, that was NOT a normal week! I'm back to tearing it up this week.

Weekly Weigh-In: 1/27/14

I LOST 3.2 pounds and 1" in both my chest and hips. My waist stayed the same. It seems like I'm back on track. WOO HOO!!!

Just got internet back up and running yesterday.

I'm desperately trying to play catch up, and I hope to be more regular with blog posts again in the next day or two. Thanks for still looking!

Weekly Weigh-In: 1/20/14

This week's stats aren't that encouraging, but here goes: Gained 3.4 pounds and 1/2" in the waist and hips. The chest stayed the same. (I'm going to have to re-evaluate things a bit and see what's going on.)

For the last two weeks, I've been working out at the Y six days...which I had been doing before getting sick. We'll see. Everything's going under the microscope!

Fitness Check-In...a little late. (Supposed to be 1/18/14)

Monday~ Fitness 101 class
Tuesday~ Step class
Wednesday~ Fitness Center (Cardio on the bike and weight machines)
Thursday~ Dance class
Friday~ Fitness Center (Cardio and weight machines)
Saturday~ Fitness Center (Cardio and weight machines)

My Diabetic Journey: Part 1

My journey with diabetes started almost 24 years ago. I was pregnant with my first child, and, apparently my body wasn't ready to deal with the added stress of a baby. When I was seven months pregnant, I was admitted to the hospital after having failed the second glucose test. I was there for about four days learning how to give myself insulin shots and eating a diabetic diet. (It was SOOO much food!)

I never thought I'd be strong or brave enough to give myself shots because I was a total wimp. I had even made arrangements with a neighbor who was a nurse to come over and give me my shots. (I can handle getting shots, but there was NO way I was going to give myself shots.) The nurse came in the room to teach me how to draw the insulins. They didn't have premixed insulin then, so I had to draw both regular (fast-acting) and NPH (long-lasting). Still not a problem. She told me I had a choice of injection sties, so, being pregnant, I chose my thighs. I wiped it with the alcohol, then she told me to inject myself. (Say WHAT!?!) I was just about to beg the nurse to do it for me when M kicked me; it was like he was telling me it wasn't just for my good but for his as well. After a few deep breaths, I finally did it. I decided that I was worrying about it for no reason because the finger pricks were more painful than the shots were.

For the next two months, I was eating like a horse and giving myself injections, and my neighbor didn't have to rearrange her schedule just to give me shots. I remember thinking it was so strange how my blood sugar levels immediately returned to normal levels right after giving birth. I never had gestational diabetes again with my other pregnancies. The doctor told me to keep my weight within the normal range, so I wouldn't be among the statistics of women who got Type 2 diabetes within 10 years of being a gestational diabetic. I can honestly say I wasn't part of that statistic. I'm in a class all by myself! lol  I'll tell you about my next adventure with diabetes next time.

Philippians 1:5

For you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.
~Philippians 1:5~

Have you noticed that we are to be partners in spreading the gospel? The first people with whom we're obligated to share it is our families. A reason we're homeschooling is to share Christ with our children...at a level they can understand. When they're little, it could be as simple as teaching them how to sing “Jesus Loves Me This I Know”. It's a simple song, but it teaches one eternal truth...Jesus loves me! Jesus loves everyone! That's the beginning of the gospel found in John 3:16. “For God SO loved the world...”

It's very easy to get caught up in our daily lesson plans with the academic subjects and to forget about sharing the gospel or teaching our kids how to share the gospel with others. Academics are a great way of helping our children prepare for their future, but, if we are not preparing them for eternity, what good is their education?

Besides being partners, the other phrase that captures my attention is “from the time you FIRST heard it until NOW.” Maybe you're a fairly new Christian, or maybe you've been saved for awhile. From that first moment until now, you have to ask yourself if you've done all you can to spread the gospel. Are your children going to spend eternity with you in His glorious presence?

As homeschoolers, we also partner with publishers and other entities to teach our children. If those things do not align with our beliefs, are we also teaching our children why we don't agree with things in the books we choose to use? Be honest and tell the truth...even if you don't know the answer. Tell them you'll research it and get back to them. All areas of life can be moments of learning whether they are during school hours or not. If you have not yet run across any of those moments in your homeschool journey, how do you plan on dealing with them when they do occur? One thing to do right now is to pray and ask Him to help prepare you ahead of time.

Dear Heavenly Father~

It is a sobering thought to be a partner of the gospel, but it is also a very exciting one. I want to work at furthering the Kingdom with Your guidance. Help me to start with my own family. Guide my actions, words, and thoughts, so I can be on the look out for those teachable moments throughout the day.

In Your Son's Loving Name~ Amen

"Whatever you have to do, we need to be connected to the internet."

I heard someone say that last week, and it's stuck with me all week. Why? I guess I immediately wondered if we ever feel the same way about our connection to God. We all know He's always there, and, in our most trying times, we tend to call on Him 24/7. If we checked our connection to Him on a regular basis like we check our email or Facebook, I think we'd all feel a lot more purposeful in our lives. (Note: I've needed to remind myself of this all week as well.)

It's interesting to notice that sometimes I cut back on my quiet time with the Lord when I seem to be stuck in the same situation for a long time without feeling like I'm moving forward at all. Since God never moves, where I am in relation to Him is all my doing. I've been stuck in a not-so-perfect living arrangement for almost four years now with seemingly no change in the near future. Not that life was perfect before now, but I at least had my own place to live in with the kids and not feel like I've been a horrible imposition to someone else. It's slowly feeling like a little bit of progress is being made in the right direction. Praise the Lord for the small things...like teaching a one-hour class each week!!! Even though I haven't started yet, it's more than I've had in quite awhile. I'm hoping and praying it will lead to even bigger and better things.

I just want to renew myself to being more connected to Him...whatever I have to do. Luckily, no tech support is needed for this one.

Do you need to be better connected, too?
 

Philippians 1:4

Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy.
~Philippians 1:4~

I really hope during your quiet time with the Lord you have often had moments of joy. I know there are times in life where you might not feel joyful. When there are times of sorrow or brokenness, we need to all draw near to Him to feel his comfort. When I've found myself in those dark times and have the intimate fellowship with Him, I do find myself coming away with a sense of joy. I need to point out how joy differs from happiness. Happiness is a momentary emotion based on current circumstances. Being happy is having free time to treat the kids to ice cream because, by some miracle, all of them finished their work early. Joy is a deep down confidence that God is always working in our lives and doing what He knows is best for us. This verse reminds us to pray and ask with joy.

Let's look at this a little closer. “Whenever I pray” is based on a choice He gives us. Whenever you get around to it, I'm here to help you, My Child. He is always wanting us to be close to Him to be an intimate friend. When you don't know which math or English to choose, he's there saying, “Ask Me. I know what's best for you and your children.” Sometimes in the busyness of our days, we have forgotten to go to Him. (If you're like I am, there may have even been stretches of days or, dare I say, weeks when we've done little more than the rote prayers before meals.) You start to wonder why is it that everything seems like a struggle. Maybe we need to remember to really pray...to pour out our hearts but also to listen to His answers to us. When we've really relinquished our options to Him, that is when we KNOW we can pray for everyone with real joy.

Where do we need to find our joy? In what areas do we already have joy? I can tell you I don't find joy in teaching some subjects...like art and some sciences. In spite of that, my youngest son really likes science. I know for certain that is all God's doing. When you don't have clear direction, step aside and let Him guide you.

Dear Father God~

I know I may not always set aside time with you each day. Sometimes circumstances pop up and throw a wrench into my entire day. When I don't get my quiet time with You, other things steal my joy. It could be a temporary glitch, or it could be a real emergency that could put my life on hold for quite a while. I want you to know, when I miss my time with You, it really begins to show. I will commit to spend time with You. I need Your help to focus on what's important to You, and to do everything I can with joy.

With Your Joy~ Amen

Weekly Weigh-In: 1/13/14

This week's stats: Gained 1.8 pounds and 1" in the chest and 1/2" in the waist. Hips stayed the same. Fitness 101 later this morning...beating my body into submission.

I already know what happened besides residual hormonal stuff. My daughter, N, and I were out running around yesterday, and neither of us stayed hydrated enough. Note to self: Take water bottles with us!

2014: The Year to be Proactive and Productive!

One of the online forums for homeschooling I belong to always invites people to participate in choosing a word or words to focus on for the upcoming year. My words for this year are PROACTIVE (not to be confused with the acne treatment either) and PRODUCTIVE. I spent too much time reacting to situations last year which kept me from being terribly focused on other things. I want that to change this year. Actually, I NEED that to change this year.

You don't have to be a homeschooler to join in either!

Our LLATL Tweaks

I think during our homeschool journey we have tried LLATL about three previous times...which shot a hole in the theory of  "third times a charm". lol I think the first time we tried it many moons ago I didn't have my kids placed in the right book. (Let me just tell you that correct placement solves A LOT of issues with just about any curriculum you're using.) One time I tried the older, spiral-bound versions which I personally liked because they didn't have any "fluff" in them. I was trying to cut corners on a super-tight budget, so I was trying to force them to work. Needless to say, it didn't. Between all the times we've come back to LLATL, I've used the Red through the Gold American Literature books. Three years ago, while I was still homeschooling my daughter in her senior year, we decided to give it another chance, and I'm SO glad we did.

For these last three years, I found a "tweak" that has worked really well in helping R retain a lot of the grammar and other "annoyances" of English. R is a VERY reluctant writer and really dislikes any English/language arts pretty strongly. With other programs (and even previous uses of LLATL), he only remembered things long enough to pass some test or assessment. He is a hands-on, visual learner. When I took that into account, it made a HUGE difference. It's still not his favorite subject by any stretch of the imagination, but he's remembering things. Woo hoo!!!

What did I tweak it to make such a difference? Very rarely does he do any type of underlining, circling, etc. which is what the instructions usually say. Instead, I bought a package of ten different colored highlighters from our local office supply store, and we assigned each part of speech its own color of highlighter. When the instructions say to underline the nouns/subjects once and the verbs/predicates twice, he highlights them in different colors. They are MUCH easier to differentiate then...especially if you need to go back and do something else with them later in the week. He still might not remember the names of them, but he can tell you which color they should be. I'm just a happy camper that he knows they're supposed to be different colors...if ya know what I mean. I will have him use the highlighters to go back over his own writing to make sure there's a wide variety of details and correct parts of speech used.

Over the years, I have supplemented LLATL with other things depending on what the needs have been for a particular child in a specific year. At some point, I have supplemented with Winston Grammar...which I'm not sure would've been necessary if I had used the highlighter method then. I've also added in the Wordsmith series over the years...from the same publisher as LLATL. R is using the Wordsmith level now. I basically decide kind of on-the-fly if we'll use the writing assignment in LLATL or substitute with one in Wordsmith.

I hope these tweaks of mine can help you, too. (I will post pictures later. We lost our internet last night...and just got it back before I left to homeschool. Stay tuned for the pics.)

Weekly Fitness Check-in: 1/11/14

This week I was finally back up to working out six days a week. Oh yeah!!! It felt SO good. (I was sick for about 2.5 weeks in October and another 1.5 weeks the last part of December.) I was just easing back into it. Without further ado, here's what I did:

Monday: Fitness 101...which is beginning step, sculpting with hand weights, and lower body/abs work on the mat.
Tuesday: Intermediate/Advanced Step
Wednesday: 1.5 hours in the Fitness Center doing cardio and weight machines.
Thursday: Another 1.5 hours in the Fitness Center.
Friday: 1.5 hours in Fitness Center in the afternoon because I will be teaching a group exercise class at that hour...once all the ducks are in a row.
Saturday: A little over an hour in the Fitness Center.

What are you doing for your workouts? I'd love to hear.

Hot Dog Soup

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 Pound sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
6 smoked pork hot dogs
29 Ounces beef broth
1 3/4 Cups water
2 Teaspoons yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon granular sugar substitute (sucralose)
1/8 Teaspoon bay leaf (1 whole leaf)
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1/8 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions
Heat oil in a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, until softened.
Stir in sauerkraut, hot dogs, broth, water, mustard, sugar substitute and bay leaf.
Simmer 5 minutes for flavors to blend. Remove bay leaf. Add salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
 Net Carbs: 5.3   Fiber: 3.3   Protein: 18.9   Fat: 43   Calories: 483.3

This makes 4 servings and is appropriate for all phases of Atkins. It's one of our favorites! This recipe can be found on Atkins when you register for free as a member.

Philippians 1:3

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
~Philippians 1:3~

This is easy to do with a lot of people, but sometimes it can be very difficult to do with our own families. Every time we think about our kids (especially as our students) do we give thanks. We do when they've earned good grades, completed a fantastic project, or finally learned how to read. It's not so easy when they have questioned why they need to learn algebra, when you've had them sound out their phonics for the millionth time and still can't sound out the whole word, or conveniently forgot to do their chores or that writing assignment. It's enough to make you pull your hair out or hide in the bathroom for a few minutes to collect your cool again.

Those are the days when looking for ways to thank God for that child can be the most difficult, but THOSE are the days we need to do it the most. They need to know we're grateful for them as the blessings they are in our lives. Not only are they in our lives because God believes we have things to teach them that only we can, the reverse is also true. We can learn a lot from them. Our children seem to magnify the good traits and the bad in our own lives. As we teach them, we also need to be open and willing to learn from God. How often do we ask those same kinds of questions with God? Why do I need to do this? Can't it wait until later?

Do you ever wonder if God puts these challenging days into the mix to bring you to your knees? Maybe your quiet time with Him is already a sweet time full of fellowship with you and your Savior. How many times do you thank Him for what He's done for you? For the blessings He's already given.

During the day, we need to look for ways to be grateful for our children...even if they've presented us with a ton of challenges. In their own way, they've made me go to My Father for more strength, grace, and peace. I want you to be able to say about your own family, “EVERY time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.”


Dear Heavenly Father~
I want so much to be able to count my blessings every day. My children are a source of delight in my life, but there are days where that delight is more hidden than others. Please help me to see that my children usually are just as frustrated on difficult days as I am. Help me to point them to You...to still find ways to be thankful for them. Without them in my life, it would be so empty. Even on the worst days, I'm going to CHOOSE to give thanks for them EVERY time I pray.

In Jesus' Name~ Amen

Tuesday Morning Chuckle

A little backstory: For the Christmas season, I rejoined a choir I had been in a few years ago. We had five performances in December...four of which were in the same week. We had had a Friday night performance over an hour from where I live. (Luckily, there's three of us in the choir who live in the same area I do, so we can carpool.) The Saturday performance was over two hours away. Basically, I left the house at 10:45 AM to meet at the house of the person who was driving. We didn't return until around 6:00 PM. It was a LONG day, and I was really looking forward to seeing my kids who had been on vacation with their dad since that Tuesday. I go to open the door on my car, and the handle just SNAPPED off in my hand. (I know I've been working out and all, but I am NOT that strong for that to happen...especially when I was wearing pretty thick gloves.) Anyway, ever since then, I've had to go through the passenger door and climb over the middle console into the driver seat when I go anywhere alone.

Fast forward to this morning: I have a one-hour intermediate/advanced step class on Tuesday mornings. A lot of the time I'm heading to the Y alone. I've got my water bottle and towel in hand walking to my car. Forgetting that I'm wearing black nylon workout pants, I get in the passenger side brace myself against the back of the seat and try to proceed doing my regular maneuver. Within the first few seconds of trying to brace myself, I started to slide down the seat. It caught me so off-guard that I jerked, then I started laughing at the fact I didn't anticipate that happening. If anyone was watching me, they probably got quite a kick out of it, too. FYI...the step class was pretty fun! (I'm recovering from being out two weeks, so I had to stop a few times-not as many as I had thought. That's a good thing.) I hope you have a spectacular day and God gives you at least one reason to laugh!

 

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients:
3 Large Canned White Meat Chicken
12 oz Sour Cream
8 C Grated Fiesta Cheese Mix (You can add more cheese if you have "Cheesaholics" like my family.)
1 Large Medium Green Enchilada Sauce
1 Small Mild Green Enchilada Sauce
Optional: 1/2 C Vitamin D Milk (Used only if cheese is clumping up on you.)

Directions:
Add Enchilada Sauces to a medium pot on medium-high heat. Then, break the Chicken into the pot (like you would canned tuna to a bowl). Stir and let come to a low boil. Add the Sour Cream. Next, add Cheese while stirring (to try to stop clomps). Lastly, put a lid on, lower the heat, and let simmer for 15 minutes (Stirring occasionally, to prevent burning).

It's ready to serve after the 15 minutes... I'd wait to eat it until it's cooler, but that's just me!

Optional Step: Add Milk after Cheese, if it's clomping up on you. Also, for those family members who aren't on Atkins, make some rice and put it in the bowl before the soup.

Enjoy! I hope you all love this recipe as much as my family does. Our family affectionately calls this "Chunky Puke" because the original recipe was a slow cooker recipe layered with tortillas. The first time we made it, it actually looked like that. It was still VERY yummy!!!

This is an acceptable Atkins Phase 1 recipe.

Where to Start as a Single Parent

One of the best pieces of advice I've heard since becoming a single mom is: Don't try to be the mom and the dad. God made each one of us with unique gifts. There are things our kids can only learn from us. It is NOT our job to be both parents. Our job is to be the BEST mom or dad we can be with God's help.

How do we do that?

We start by getting on our knees and surrendering ourselves to Christ.

 ~~And he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.~~Matt. 6:33

We need to work on forgiving our exes and ourselves. We cannot be full of the Spirit when we continue to hold onto hurts and offenses done to us. We definitely can't parent our children when we harbor ill-feelings towards their other parent. It's not easy to do when there can be things done to continually trigger us. We, also, need to forgive our exes when they haven't even asked for it. When we do that, we're releasing those negative emotions and allowing more positive ones to control us. Forgive, so you can be a better you and a better parent.

~~Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again to ask forgiveness, you  must forgive.~~Luke 17:4

~~Instead, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.~~Eph. 4:32

~~Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.~~Ps. 51:10

We need to remember who we are in Christ. We need to stop beating ourselves up for all the things that have happened. He created us masterpieces from the very beginning of life, and He doesn't make trash.

~~For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.~~Eph. 2:10

~~For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we will share his treasures- for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too.~~Rom. 8:16, 17

Beyond all of that, we need to remember God can use all of us and our testimony...the good, the bad, and the ugly.

~~I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep in the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand as all God's people should how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fulness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.~~Eph. 3:16-20

~~And we know that God causes EVERYTHING to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.~~Rom. 8:28

So... take a deep breath; relax; and enjoy your kids while they are in your care.

Cauliflower Mash from Atkins.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup cauliflower florets
• 3 Tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 Teaspoon virgin olive oil
• 1/4 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Steam cauliflower in a steamer basket over boiling water until tender, about 3–4 minutes. Mash with a fork. 
2. Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet with 1 teaspoon virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until tender.
3. Add onions to mashed cauliflower and top with cheese.
4. Optional: We added pieces of fried bacon to our mash. Very yummy!!!

 

Organizing Time in 2014

The main planner I'll be using in 2014 is the January-January Appointment Calendar. It's been a few years since I've used it due to my budgetary restraints as an unemployed, single homeschooling mom. I have missed it SO much that I made sure I had the funds for it this year. Yes, I like it THAT much!

My friend, Mary whose blog is Shining for His Glory, posted awhile back about a new planner she's using from Planner Pads. While their planners looked like it would work for a lot of people, I thought, if I used some of their accessories, it would tweak the Jan-Jan planner "just enough" for me.

Lastly, I'm planning on ordering this planner cover from Franklin Covey. 

 I hope to have a VERY productive year once I get all of these. Once my planner is all tweaked the way I like it, I will post pictures of how I personally use it.