That Sort of a Day

Today is a cool, over-cast day. The very type of day that reminds me of my family. ::snort:: They all LIVE in the Pacific NW. How did that happen? Anyway - I wonder how my cousins are doing and remember that I need to look up Lori's number and give her a call. I still have Lois and Launny's Christmas card here as Mom didn't have the zip code and the USPS won't deliver it for me. I miss Aunt Gin and keep replaying our last conversation around the pool at Double Tree Inn. I do smile to think of her at peace with Jesus.

I wonder how my oldest brother is. Maybe I should pick up the phone and call. We've not been real good at keeping in touch. I'm glad my baby brother is on Facebook - we seem to do better with Facebook than other forms of communication.

I miss my parents. I miss Mike's parents. The girls are in WA. I miss my Grams and Uncle Bill and they've been in heaven many, many years now. I wonder how Uncle Jim is doing and I remember our last visit with Clara and the jugglers on the street of New Orleans.

Krista called today to suggest that I fly out to Spokane. I wish I could. She said it would be fun to have some "girl time". I think it's that sort of a day. The sort of day when you remember with fondness all those who have blessed your life and wish you could see them all "real quick".

I think the hardest thing, personally, about the military lifestyle is being away from family. Of course, I wouldn't trade the adventures we've had, the ministry we've shared, the people we've met....but I do start to wonder on days like today....what would it be like to have been allowed to stay in one house for years and years....or at least the same town as family? I don't know. I thank God often that he gave us 5 years in Hardin, MT where we were able to live in the same town with my Grams and Uncle Bill. I'll keep remembering those years - the closest I've come to Walton's Mountain - and dreaming of future locations.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Another Thursday Successfully Executed

First a whine...it was 33* this a.m. when I got in the car to go workout. It has been in the 30's most the day. This is COLD for down here....mainly because we don't have winter gear. ::snort:: I have been thinking all day how dreadfully cold it must be for friends in VT, NH, SD, NE, OH, NY, ME (Lisa - is that MAINE?). ::snort::

I was a bit late getting to the gym so only fit a 45 min workout in...but I showed up.

We got 90% of my plan done in school this a.m.

I went out to lunch with Amy. I met Amy at our local Rehab (speech therapy). We have a mutual friend and she had been reading this blog. She put the name together with the faces one day at Rehab. ::snort:: Amy was gracious to answer many of my Weight Watcher questions. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing with FOOD. More about that some other time. I had a great time Amy. BTW I did a search for points of Tortilla Soup and it said 8 - I should have had the potato! ::snort::

Jamin was able to drive he and Jared to House of Faith today. I love the ease of having another driver in the house.

We had piano lessons. I worked on projects during this time.

Jared had a basketball game tonight. They won. He made baskets. I yelled - but not REAL loud tonight...it's easier to yell loud when you aren't winning by 47 -8. I was so impressed with the tenacity of the team they played. Ummm....can you tell I like to root for the underdog? ::snort::

All but Jared are in bed. Mike will be home Saturday.

I've fallen down on my photographic duty - not one photo today.

WAIT - I did find one.....cute SACHSA Saint fans

Well.....this new routine has forced me to SET THE ALARM - something I've not done for years. I'm getting up earlier and earlier until I hit on a time that allows me an hour Tryst with Jesus, an hour to work out, time to fix and eat breakfast with the kids, shower and start school by 9:00 a.m. We don't really LIKE time schedules around here....but it's what I have to do until the routine is second nature.

All that to say that I'm TIRED and I'm going to go to bed, read a bit and fall asleep to the sounds of Red Green....not quite as great as Mike's snoring but a close second. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Valentine's Day - ALREADY?

Yes, it is way too early for this template. The Cutest Blog ladies are still having server problems and I'm ready for a bit more bling. I have learned to save the widgets before updating from here on out. ::snort::

They loaded a few templates on their blog and this one will work. I don't want incredibly busy, I like a simple middle area (so you can read it easier), I like 3-D elements, and having dealt with the blue this past week I discovered I like the darker colors to make the photos pop....but I personally like a brown/tan/damask one on their blog better - just doesn't look as nice with the photos. LOL

All that to say that I've not really joined corporate America's rush to the next holiday. ::snort::

Now off to a basketball game. While I was praying about it this a.m. the dish drainer strangely fell off the counter causing a huge clang. The kids are trying to figure out if God was upset that I was praying about something so "frivolous" or if it is a bad omen. I'll update you later. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Teamwork in Homeschooling

Who says children educated at home don't have the opportunity to work on "group projects"? ::snort::

Zander HATES coloring.....oh such pain I inflict on my child.

Stacia loves coloring. She discovered his phonics book and is coloring it for him....sometimes with bright pink - sometimes with a pencil.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Bre's Big Week....Last Week....

She chose a new hair color, *started a new job, and received official notice that she's been accepted as a Junior at Eugene Bible College.

New job - CHOCOLATE store in the MALL. She loves it. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Insanity on the Stability Ball

Before Mike left this a.m. he put more air in my stability ball. I've been debating what to do about this "Phase Thing".

(This is not me. This is not my house. This is a replica of MY stability ball.)

Phase 1 helps you establish a regular workout routine, drink water and eat breakfast. I'll write about THAT later. ::snort:: I pretty much had that down.

Phase 2 asks you to add strength training, to identify and conquer a weak food area and to keep a food log. I already keep a food log and began my own personal Lent last week. I decided to move into phase 2. Phase 3 is to make food boring and I'm simply not ready for that. Since one of the 5 elements of the brain change is being truthful, I'm going to hang out here (and I need to spend 4 weeks depriving myself of my weakness before I move on anyway) until I'm ready to make food boring. ::snort::

I've had a hard time finding TIME to add strength to my cardio - and I've proven over and over that my sluggish body NEEDS 60 min of cardio to maintain or lose any weight......but Chantel (see review below - it's not to late to enter) has workouts that take 25 minutes in Never Say Diet. I have a ball and can do this at home.....so.....

Mike blew the ball up bigger - it was really flat. I tried the work out tonight....It's harder than it looks. ::snort:: Though that may be because Stacia delights in jumping on top of my tummy while I try to do some sort of ab walk out...abs walk? Hmmm....mine roll.

I did great until I hit this exercise:

(This is not me.) This hurt my aging knees BAD. The next was a wall lunge (couldn't find a photo) and it hurt terribly too...... I know that I have to baby my knees. I do not want to re injure the thing and be out of cardio for months.....but what can I do instead of these wall squats and lunges to work those muscles without hurting my knee. Ideas?

To prove I'm NOT a wimp, I ignored the wimpy wrists and did the "push ups" - they hurt too - but not as bad. ::snort::

In other news I bought a digital scale as those little lines are simply too far away at 5:30 a.m. It is a fancy thing but I can't figure out how to make it work. ::snort:: According the scale I have now and the one at the gym I lost 2 lbs last week. My grace-filled goal is 3 lbs a month.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Nolan's Knight Book

Nolan asked me yesterday if we could just make his Knight Book without the fancy folds. ::snort::

Here he stands with his finished product!

Yes, I'm going to share a dozen or so photos...because these are a LOT of work and this represents the completion of our study on the Middle Ages. We have moved on to the Renaissance. I have noticed that Arielle is spending a lot of time hanging around this week. She says she's bored.....we can't have THAT. Bored with the Renaissance? I need to find out what is going on and possibly pull her in to some of our activities. But you want PICTURES - don't you? ::snort::

I love this game. It's a pocket with various historical events on cards. They put them in order. I would LOVE to find some history cards pre-made that I could purchase and use to "play timeline games" . Anyone know of such a thing?

....and what about Zander's Knight Book? HIS is the book that will be in the "double folded" lapbook. I didn't have rubber cement (and can't find any yet) and so I used Elmers. I put it under heavy books to dry but it was still bubbly.

Remember my wonderful husband who carves pumpkins with power tools? He's cracked me up again. He had just the thing for Zander's lapbook.

ANY PROJECT CAN BECOME A BUILDING PROJECT! ::snort::

Zander's folder is in the vise in the garage. We'll probably work on it tomorrow - wait tomorrow is THHHHHHHuuuurrrrrsssssday - probably Friday.

Nolan informs me this is the THIRD lapbook we've finished already this year. One on the election, one on Christmas Symbols (which we began in 2006 - do you see WHY he's so impressed with our current track record?) and this one on knights. I guess he forgot about my very own lapbook compiled with political cartoons of Sarah Palin. ::snort::

You can see more of our lapbooks at Our Lapbooks Page.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.