Hello!
I had just nearly finished a long post to you all when I hit a wrong button. WOOSH! Gone... So I start again.
I have decided that I will start posting my weekly happenings, current obsessions and random thoughts here for my readers pleasure instead of occasional posts here and there. Do I have readers???
So for the upcoming 3rd week in August 2008 here we go!!!
This week is the beginning of our 2008/2009 school year. I am excited and ready. I have everything ready to go. This year I will officially be adding in my 4 child into the schedule. I have made a loop schedule so that each child will get equal billing in their time with mom. Core subject schooling should only take 4 hours a day. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., Half hour break 10:30 - 12:30 p.m. followed by lunch. We will then use the afternoons for art, handicrafts, baking, and projects.
I am currently obsessing over Christmas. YES! You read that correctly. I have been checking out tons of crafting & sewing books from the library. This year I want to spread out my Christmas crafting over the next few months and put even greater time and effort into crafting gifts for my family. To me there is no more valuable gift than one that is handmade by someone specifically for another. I find a huge amount of joy giving these types of gifts. Recently I made a banner for a little girl for her birthday. DD's 2&3 went to her party. I didn't get to see her open the gift but my dd's told me all about it. I loved it so much, I made one for myself in my livingroom and diningroom colors. Whenever we get our camera fixed I'll show you a picture of it, but for now you'll have to see an example of what someone else on the internet made so you know what I mean.
Isn't this weird and cool! I just love it! I hung mine in the archway between my livingroom and diningroom. I want to make seasonal ones now too! I will probably make a Thanksgiving one, a Christmas one, and a Valentines Day one. I may hang them from my mantel as well.
Something else that is new is that I am starting a new homeschool group with several friends. We are called F.A.I.T.H. which stands for Family Academics in the Home. Our first official get together is in September with our kick-off picnic. We will be giving away a ton of fantastic doorprizes. I have around 15 doorprizes. Some of them are worth $100 !!! I will tell you more about that after it happens. I really hope that we have a good turn-out.
In other news I am starting up my fitness & diet routine again. Last winter I lost around 20 lbs until I fazed out of it all in the spring. I am still down that 20 lbs, but now I want to lose another 20-30 lbs. My goal is to get into the 130's somewhere. I think I am in the 150's currently. I haven't weighed myself all summer. I will be going to the YMCA on Monday so I'll know then. I will be using my weight watchers materials as well as www.fitday.com to track my dieting. My exercise routine will look like this:
Monday - Wednesday - Friday : Cardio (swimming, running, biking, aerobics, etc...)
Tuesday - Thursday - Saturday : Weight Training using hand weights and my own body weight. I'll be going to the YMCA to use their weights and also working out at home using one of several women's weight training books I have.
I have also spent the summer gardening and I made my first ever canned jam. I am getting ready to make some more because we have tore through a lot of it already. I wanted it to last all winter! My new favorite blogs are http://www.homesteadblogger.com/quiverfull/ and http://thesimplewomanscannery.blogspot.com/ . I also love this website http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/index.html . It belongs to the first blogger I mentioned.
A great book I am currently loving for Christmas crafting:
A Great book I own:
A here are two great deals on sale now !
http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=2118&it=1&affiliate_id=5506
http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=23257&it=1&affiliate_id=5506
| 
