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.

My Fitness Routine Overview

Working out needs to be a part of your weight-loss journey. I have been a member of my local YMCA since July 2011. At first, I could barely do 15 minutes of cardio on the recumbent bike...which is still my favorite cardio equipment because I have lower back issues. It has a back on it which gives a lot of support for my back. When I go to the Fitness Center, I still use the recumbent bike; I just can last longer on a different type of workout and level. I also use the following weight machines: Seated leg press, glute, hip abductor, hip adductor, pec fly, seated row, tricep press, ab crunch, torso rotation, and back extension.

I do spend more time taking group classes though. Fitness 101, at our Y, is basically beginning step along with using hand weights and mat work for the last 15 minutes of class. I usually wear Velcro wrist weights throughout the class. I also take an intermediate/advanced step class and two dance classes. (Psst...wanna know a secret? I will be taking over one of the dance classes. Shh...that's just between us.)

 I hope this helps to give you a little bit better picture of what it's taken to get the results I've seen the last year.

Current Curricula

I am down to homeschooling my last child who has the NERVE to be in high school. Technically, R is 18 years old, but he chose over a year ago to take his time to actually learn everything we have chosen together. So without further ado, here are the choices we made for him:

We returned to LLATL about three years ago during my daughter's senior year. We are using it with Wordsmith also from Common Sense Press.

For geometry, we switched from Teaching Textbooks to AO Lifepacs. The first couple of Lifepacs were a bit of a transition period, but it's now going really well.

Science was a tough choice this year because we started out trying ACE Physical Science, but it was very difficult. That surprised us because we have been using ACE for science for many years. As surprising as it was to me, we've gone with Lifepac science as well. We are using a combination of the 8th and 9th grade years which cover the same topics as the ACE Physical Science. SHOCKING!

At least, we remained with our tried and true favorite for American History...ACE!!! We've used ACE history for many years. All of my kids have remembered more using ACE than anything we've previously used. (That topic will be coming later. Trust me.) 

R wants to be a game programmer, so this year for his electives he's using the TeenCoder Windows Programming and Game Programming books.  

Well, there ya have it. The choices that work best for JR for this year. I will try to post more specific information on all of these at a later time. I hope you've been able to find what works for you and your family.

Type 2 Diabetes

The BIGGEST blessing during my health and fitness journey has been totally controlling my diabetes with diet and exercise alone. I haven't needed ANY Metformin or insulin of any kind since February 2013!!! Praise the LORD!!! 

I appreciate your patience while this page is under construction

Philippians 1:1, 2

This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.

I am writing to all of God's holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the elders and deacons. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

~Philippians 1:1, 2~

These are the first verses of my favorite book of the Bible. I read this book over and over to help re-focus my attention on other things besides life. As a homeschooling mom, it's easy to get our focus off of where it should be. That first verse usually convicts me every time I read it. “Slaves of Christ Jesus”. Would anyone use those words to describe me? Would I? Would He?

Let's take a look at what we so easily become focused on instead of Christ Jesus. As a veteran homeschooler, 16 years and counting, I can say I have found myself a slave to the teacher's guides of whatever curriculum I'm using...be it a big-name publisher, unit studies, online freebies, etc. It is not wrong to want the best for our children and, as the ones responsible for the moral and academic upbringing, it's easy to get caught up in the sometimes never-ending search for the perfect choices for our children.

I've learned over the years it's so very important to pray about our choices. We belong to Him and so do our kids, and He wouldn't want us to spend SO much time worrying about what we're using. If we're spending the majority of every day around the school books and going about our busy lives, we're not like Paul and Timothy being slaves to Jesus. We're slaves to our homeschool. We are meant to be His holy people devoted to serving Him and making disciples of our own kids. A tall order, I know. He won't have us do something without giving us a way to get it done. However, what that looks like for each family is very different from one to the next. It could change from each season of your homeschool journey, too.

The last verse mentions what our Heavenly Father wants to give us His grace and His peace. When we take a look at our school days are our choices part of that grace and peace? If not, we need to take a look at how to change that. Do we need to tweak it or dump it? What is most likely going to help us show our families and the world around us what being a “slave to Christ Jesus” looks like?

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for those reading this devotional. I pray it would be a help to keep them mindful of You and what You want for their families. As we're feeling convicted or more confident of our choices, may we always feel your grace and peace...and know how to restore it.

In Your Son's Precious Name~ Amen

Our 2013 Journey

My daughter and I started on Atkins last January. We only used the information available FREE on their site. The site has a lot of helpful tools like a meal planner for each of the phases you're on; trackers for your water intake, exercise, measurements; and forums to interact with others dealing with your same struggles. 

During 2013, I LOST 43.7 pounds...LOST 2.5" in the chest...LOST 7" in the waist...and LOST 7.5" in the hips!!! That's a grand total of 17" LOST and 5 dress/pant sizes!!! All of my lovely family at the Y played a part in it....which you can read about my exercise routine on the Fitness page. One of the moms from FIAR (Five in a Row) mentioned her 6 yo weighed 43 pounds, so I basically lost a 6yo.

My daughter has LOST 67.3 pounds...LOST 7" in her chest, LOST 7" in her waist, and 9.5" in her hips!!! I am SO proud of her!!! A different FIAR mom chimed in that her 9yo weighed that much. I think that's just amazing!! (I'm a little biased.)

Because of the Atkins diet, you can also read about how it affected my Type 2 diabetes on that page. I can safely say it has been an absolute godsend for my daughter and I.

I truly believe, if you're looking for a way to lose weight and others haven't worked, Atkins will most likely be your answer. What have you got to lose but those extra pounds and inches?

Hi there! Welcome to my little corner of the world. I want to share my heart with you, so grab a beverage of your choice (and maybe some chocolate, too) and stay awhile. I hope we can become fast friends.

Who Am I? (I'm Jean Valjean...24601! lol)

I am a Christian and a single mom of three. I have two sons who are 23 and 18. My daughter is almost 21. My days of hands-on parenting are coming to a close. I've had the distinct pleasure of homeschooling my kids for the last 15+ years. My youngest is still being homeschooled, but the older two have finished their journeys. I'm also a music geek; hence, my earlier response to "Who am I?" I've also been on a health and weight-loss journey with my daughter since last year. Together, we've lost over 100 pounds!!!


I plan to write all about these topics and probably more as they come to me. Come back and visit me often as I plan to have new things for you lovely folks every week. Please leave a comment to let me know you dropped by for a visit. Have a GREAT day, and God bless!!!

Devotional for Homeschool Moms

This is a devotional I've been writing based on the book of Philippians and is using the New Living Translation. Feel free to use your preferred translation.