Thursday
I woke up a bit late as I headed for bed when Jamin woke up, after my sleepless night. I didn’t get a bike ride in but I did the 8 minutes in the a.m. routine. Today was biceps and triceps. I decided I really don’t plan to do any part of his eating program. I know that counting; measuring and restrictive diets are not going to work in the long run for ME. I’ve been there/done that/ got the t-shirt! There was some good info in the book on omega 3, 6 and 9…..but he totally lost me when he said to limit your fruit intake to one serving a day. :::snort::::
Our day began as most our days begin – with school.
Arielle and I ducked out at 11:00 a.m. to go buy a gift for a tea party she is attending on Saturday. We found the exact book the girl requested AND found another one that Arielle wanted to buy for her. It will be fun.
We had enough time at home for lunch and then the five younger ones and I headed for speech. Today has been beautiful. Yesterday was as well. It’s been 100* but yesterday and today it was in the 80’s…what a treat! After speech we headed for the park for “homeschool park day”. Unfortunately (for ME) there was a meeting that all the moms were involved in and so I didn’t get to visit…but I had a lot of fun watching the kids and walking….I walked two miles by the time I left the park, which helped to make up for missing the bike time this a.m.
Our baby bird saga is sad. ANOTHER one fell out of the tree…and Zander accidentally (totally – we saw) stepped on it. It squawked and flapped and hopped all over and terrified all the kids….and we feel sick about the bird. We only see one of the other babies in the yard now. I hope that is a good sign and he flew away.
I was watching Janae today at the park and started to realize that THIS is how courtship could be such a blessing to parents. Wouldn’t it be cool if your son ended up marrying a little girl you had hugged and cuddled and adored when she was a child? Not sure how God will work all that out in our family…but I’m totally happy with the choices our daughters and now sons are making. NO – I’M NOT ARRANGING A MARRIAGE BETWEEN JANAE AND ZANDER OR NOLAN – frankly Janae and Zander are both so strong willed……then again life wouldn’t be dull. {G} Just dreaming…..I have a friend whose sons have married…and she’s just had her 3 and 4th grand child and I’m realizing that within the next 10 years I’ll be nudging into that season of life. Is that o.k to say Bre and Krista? You are 21 and 19….so I’m not pushing…just thinking 10 years and who knows who else will be a part of the family. ::::snort::: Oy vey – I should stay out of the sun!
I made a scrumptious dinner tonight. Porsche (Adrienne’s daughter – and Janae’s sister) had made a lunch for their family this week that they all loved. An alfredo sauce….well….tonight for dinner I made penne and then made a white sauce and added a big chunk of asiago cheese and romano cheese…garlic, onions, oregano, basil and pepper mix…..and served it over the penne. It would be company fare if I added some baked chicken breasts to put on top of the Penne for those who eat meat…and would have been heavenly with some mushrooms – but I was out. Tomorrow is produce co-op! Yippee!!! I think some broccoli would be nice in the sauce too….I think I’m getting this healthy cooking thing down.
Zander started the day fairly o.k. He seemed to have a 12 hour flu bug. He’s on day 2 of being “clean”. Wow…I can’t believe the change we see when he eats the synthetic flavors, colors and petro chemicals. He gets aggressive, mean, anti-social, poops his pants (sorry to be graphic), won’t wear clothes…and I can’t believe how smooth life is when I am sure to keep him on his diet….I will be more diligent. I had bread and hamburger buns and hoagie type rolls in the freezer before vacation but hadn’t made any since being home. I need to stock up again.
OH – I made some of those yummy “no bake” chocolate cookies last night. I used honey…they were good but didn’t’ really set up like the “real” ones. I need to experiment some more.
Well…the kitchen clean up crew is almost done. I’m going to begin *The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe* with the kids tonight and then hopefully they’ll all go to bed at a decent hour (Stacia is the only questionable factor here). A good night’s sleep and tomorrow is day 3 for Zander being clean…his reactions seem to last 2 – 3 days….and I’ll be much more diligent again.
I want to sleep and read the Tamar Myers book I’m reading.
OH – Jen G. – if you are reading….I finished Heaven’s Wager. I’ll journal now. I was going to offer it here…but Josiah has begun reading it…..so in a week or so….
Another Oh – after messing up my thyroid meds on vacation (by forgetting to bring them along) I’ve been trying to remember to take them daily. I’ve put them in one of those little pill keepers. BUT imagine my surprise to find out that TODAY is Thursday and I took that pill yesterday…in fact I took Friday’s too….I must have been popping one each time I walked into the bathroom. I really need more sleep than I’m getting. I’m pretty sure my stop in weight progress has to do with this thyroid thing…but in a week or so it’ll be back in progress…….
Good night for now….pray I get a good night’s sleep if you read this before bed time. If you read it on Friday a.m. Don’t pray that I fall asleep because I have things to do. LOL
Thursday, May 11, 2006
I LOVE YOU MICHAEL!!!
I know this will seem strange to some of you....but Mike has been working such very long hours that we aren't seeing a lot of him this week. He called to say he'd checked the blog to see how our day was going and worried when I'd not posted anything. He checks at lunch (if he has one) and after duty hours.....so this message is just for HIM.
We love you! We're proud of you. Things will slow down eventually.
I know this will seem strange to some of you....but Mike has been working such very long hours that we aren't seeing a lot of him this week. He called to say he'd checked the blog to see how our day was going and worried when I'd not posted anything. He checks at lunch (if he has one) and after duty hours.....so this message is just for HIM.
We love you! We're proud of you. Things will slow down eventually.
Another sleepless night. I wish these two teeth would pop through. I can't seem to lay her down for long at all...she'll sleep just long enough for me to fall asleep and then wake up again.....I really think it is the teeth...she isn't running a fever or screaming uncontrollably or such. She does pull her ear from time to time....but nothing that would say "sick, ear infection".....
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
REST OF THE DAY
Big news is that Arielle told me today that she liked the Smuckers Natural peanut butter. It has salt and peanuts but that’s all….I can live with a bit of salt…..it’s way better than the Peter Pan with the sugar and salt. Arielle also told me that the new bread I made was good. This is the FIRST whole grain bread that she has liked. It IS good….it’s moister than the other bread which is strange because it’s basically the same…just a different mixture of grains. I guess I’ll be making 7 grain bread from here on out and not using the hard white much at all. LOL
We ran to Sam’s today. We’d hoped to go and pick up a present for a birthday party this weekend but I simply didn’t want to drag everyone into Hastings. I think we’ll try to do that before speech tomorrow.
We spent an hour and a half out at the lake. I enjoy it out there. I timed it in the van and it would be 6 or 7 miles to ride out there and back. I could do that. I must not have fully embraced this “play” stuff because I feel much better about my ride this a.m. since I went to the library.
Arielle reminded me that she has a birthday coming up. She’d like a party…so I’d best get planning.
Mike is working late again tonight. I think I’ll spend some time working on my co-op order; figuring out the great flax seed, flax meal and flax oil mystery; reading a fun book and possibly even surfing Barb Sheldton or Marilyn Howshall’s sites. But…first to PLAY with some little ones and then read a chapter of Narnia and get them in bed.
Bird Update
We have two baby grackles that fell out of a tree in our back yard. We are not touching them because we learned that would make the mama bird ignore them. We are keeping our dog, Beatrix Jemima Puddleduck G out of the back yard. We weren’t sure what else to do. We worried about them. Today the mama birds are flying in and giving them food. They are also squawking at them quite a bit. The little ones stretch and try to fly but then flop back on the ground. I hope they eventually fly away. The mama birds are hilarious to watch. They are being sure that the other one doesn’t come near THEIR baby.
The doves (in the nest by our garbage) have flown away.
Rascal Chirp the quail is still loud, thriving, and stinky. He’s BIG. The pet store said to put him in a big fenced type cage in our yard….so we’ll most likely move him outside on a table under a tree today.
I’ll catch whatever pictures we can to share. To think that I didn’t think we’d have any birds and insects to watch when we began Zoology….{G}
We have two baby grackles that fell out of a tree in our back yard. We are not touching them because we learned that would make the mama bird ignore them. We are keeping our dog, Beatrix Jemima Puddleduck G out of the back yard. We weren’t sure what else to do. We worried about them. Today the mama birds are flying in and giving them food. They are also squawking at them quite a bit. The little ones stretch and try to fly but then flop back on the ground. I hope they eventually fly away. The mama birds are hilarious to watch. They are being sure that the other one doesn’t come near THEIR baby.
The doves (in the nest by our garbage) have flown away.
Rascal Chirp the quail is still loud, thriving, and stinky. He’s BIG. The pet store said to put him in a big fenced type cage in our yard….so we’ll most likely move him outside on a table under a tree today.
I’ll catch whatever pictures we can to share. To think that I didn’t think we’d have any birds and insects to watch when we began Zoology….{G}
Lunch Break
The GPS unit was low on batteries. I couldn’t figure out how to install the rechargeable ones Mike bought for it….and so I had to guess how far was 10 miles today on the bike. I broke out of the box. I rode under the loop…..a whole new world. I rode to the West branch of the library and returned books, rode around the park a few times, rode home and then rode in a new direction. We have a paved 5 lane road that goes between miles of open field. It was a 4 mile circuit. At this point there is a school at the start of this road and then nothing until you hit another major road 2 miles down. I did NOT see the neighborhood mountain lion but I did see deer, wild turkey, armadillo and road runners. When I got home the little ones came with me and I drove them on the route I’d ridden. They finally understood why I say they have to be able to ride for a long ways before they can come with me on the a.m. rides. They thought it was cool and I had ridden 11 miles this a.m.
Back home and I did the 8 Minute routine. I did lateral pulls and attempted “crunches”. I like doing 2 different moves a day. I read about choosing weights and think the 5 lb weights are a good “middle weight” for me…if my wrists can handle it I won’t buy lighter. I need to read about the rest of the program but I wanted to get started, so I did. I’m not really an “instruction reader” anyway – I’m more of a hands on learner.
Arielle asked me to make “palacheeta” (Hungarian Crepes) for breakfast. I did. While I mixed and cooked, I called Mom to check on Dad. We had a good talk. Dad has been moved to a rehab center. He’ll be there until he can walk with a walker. They are saying at least 2 – 6 weeks. He’s in a lot of pain. Prayers are still appreciated.
We finished school. We are trying to double up on TOG now. We’ll do language, math and phonics through the summer with the little ones….maybe some science too because we are enjoying it. I’ve shared that I clearly KNEW I’m not to schedule weekly events during “school time” this year. Its been hard with offers that are coming my way. The latest is that the homeschool park day is moving to the mornings. I’m praying about it but I suspect we won’t be joining them until at least our TOG is done. We’re doubling weeks up and should be done quickly – we may even finish before the next park day. We’ll see.
OH – mailed off another netflix movie today and are eagerly waiting for the next ones to arrive. This could be good. . . something besides Hogan’s Heroes to watch on Friday nights. {G}
Stacia’s two teeth are still not through. She is trying to stand.
That’s the morning….lunch is about ready to clean up and then we’ll play and run errands.
The GPS unit was low on batteries. I couldn’t figure out how to install the rechargeable ones Mike bought for it….and so I had to guess how far was 10 miles today on the bike. I broke out of the box. I rode under the loop…..a whole new world. I rode to the West branch of the library and returned books, rode around the park a few times, rode home and then rode in a new direction. We have a paved 5 lane road that goes between miles of open field. It was a 4 mile circuit. At this point there is a school at the start of this road and then nothing until you hit another major road 2 miles down. I did NOT see the neighborhood mountain lion but I did see deer, wild turkey, armadillo and road runners. When I got home the little ones came with me and I drove them on the route I’d ridden. They finally understood why I say they have to be able to ride for a long ways before they can come with me on the a.m. rides. They thought it was cool and I had ridden 11 miles this a.m.
Back home and I did the 8 Minute routine. I did lateral pulls and attempted “crunches”. I like doing 2 different moves a day. I read about choosing weights and think the 5 lb weights are a good “middle weight” for me…if my wrists can handle it I won’t buy lighter. I need to read about the rest of the program but I wanted to get started, so I did. I’m not really an “instruction reader” anyway – I’m more of a hands on learner.
Arielle asked me to make “palacheeta” (Hungarian Crepes) for breakfast. I did. While I mixed and cooked, I called Mom to check on Dad. We had a good talk. Dad has been moved to a rehab center. He’ll be there until he can walk with a walker. They are saying at least 2 – 6 weeks. He’s in a lot of pain. Prayers are still appreciated.
We finished school. We are trying to double up on TOG now. We’ll do language, math and phonics through the summer with the little ones….maybe some science too because we are enjoying it. I’ve shared that I clearly KNEW I’m not to schedule weekly events during “school time” this year. Its been hard with offers that are coming my way. The latest is that the homeschool park day is moving to the mornings. I’m praying about it but I suspect we won’t be joining them until at least our TOG is done. We’re doubling weeks up and should be done quickly – we may even finish before the next park day. We’ll see.
OH – mailed off another netflix movie today and are eagerly waiting for the next ones to arrive. This could be good. . . something besides Hogan’s Heroes to watch on Friday nights. {G}
Stacia’s two teeth are still not through. She is trying to stand.
That’s the morning….lunch is about ready to clean up and then we’ll play and run errands.
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