On The Journey

• Dec. 17, 2009 - Thursday: Talkin' About Teens

Posted By Tina in Thursday Talkin About Teens

"Got teens?
Spend time with them; enjoy them; listen to them; and love them.
They are the most incredible people, these emerging adults,
and they can become the best friends you'll ever have."
~Diana Waring, Reaping the Harvest. The Bounty of Abundant-Life Homeschooling~

Join Us Each Thursday! Here's How:

Simply write a positive post about something (or things) that your homeschooling teenager has done which impressed you this week. Keep it focused on good/encouraging/growth-maturity-related things you've observed about them; lessons they've learned, or that you've learned through them.
Link back to http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/plans4you/ in your post somewhere, so your readers will know where to go to join Thursday TAT.

This was a hard week in the parenting department. If I could wipe the slate clean and start all over I would! Oh please tell me you understand?!

But this is a positive meme so I will share something sweet. My 13 year old and her friend went thrift store shopping with me on Saturday. We had a blast! They purchased an old cup trophy for a quarter. I ask what it was for. A friend of theirs who is a top notch cheerleader missed getting a trophy this year because she was late for one game. So the gals are having all her friends sign the trophy to give to her. Sweet! I bet that trophy will mean more to her in the years to come than any trophy she has won cheerleading.

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• Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - Latest baby updates on facebook...

Posted By Amy Verlennich

Just to let you know... I will be giving the latest updates on our new facebook group... so feel free to join and hear the latest on when the newest addition (who WAS due the 13th) will FINALLY decide to enter the world! :)

Click on the following link: THE VERLENNICH BABY'S COMIN'!

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• Dec. 15, 2009 - Tightwad Tuesday: Saving Money on Christmas

Posted By Tina in Tightwad Tuesday

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl

Here are some sites with wonderful tips for saving money on Christmas. There are even ideas for gifts that are "free",

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/holidays/saveatchristmas.htm

http://save.lovetoknow.com/Christmas_on_a_Tight_Budget

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/specialoccasions/tp/Free_Low_Cost_Christmas_Gifts.htm

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• Sunday, December 13, 2009 - Post from the Past: free SHMILY time ideas

Posted By Amy Verlennich

Post made December 8th, 2008
Some of you have written asking for some ideas at little or no cost for The 12 Days of Christmas. I understand COMPLETELY what it's like to be "strapped for cash", especially this time of year as gift giving is in full swing.

Here are some FREE ideas for you to love on your hubby...

Massages are a great gift to give! You could even make a coupon to give to him in the morning (so he would be looking forward to it all day) or mail it to him at work. To take it a step further, you could even make this a gift for the entire 12 days, picking a different body part to focus on each night (uh... I don't have to tell you what to save for last right?) A good massage is at least 30 minutes. Sometimes it may seem longer to you than it really is, so be sure to look at the clock by your bed before you begin so you don't cut your sweet husband short!

Breakfast in bed with a smile (and nothing else but a smile).

Making coffee every morning and greeting your hubby with a cheerful "good morning". How we start our husband's mornings have a HUGE effect on the rest of their day, as well as how eager they are to come back. (I know that I wouldn't want to come home to me some days!) Make it your goal to be cheerful each day for the 12 days. Start his morning with a happy wife. If you work outside of the home and leave before him, then having the coffee pot with coffee and a sweet note would be a thought too.

Pray for him each day. You could use The Power of a Praying Wife for this as well. Whatever you choose, and regardless if your husband prays with you or not, get out of bed each day with your knees hitting the floor before your feet do. Pray for the man God has blessed you with. Thank Him for your husband. Even if you're struggling in your marriage, ask God to give you the strength to get through the 12 days with love and compassion and to renew your marriage. You might be surprised what happens when he finds out that you're praying for him every day. Cover your husband in prayer each day... it may seem crazy, but YOU will become a better woman for it.

Hmmm... this next one... well, it's REALLY simple and may get one of the biggest reactions from your sweetie... but if you can't afford to get some "blessings" to wear... you can always do what God intended from the beginning! That's right... NO panties. Be sure to whisper it in his ear at the grocery store, church, or before he leaves for work.

One of my personal favorites (and my Beloved's)... Clean Lovin'.

Take a marker and write SHMILY somewhere on your body for him to search for.

Find out what he really likes by having him fill out the "I Feel Loved by You When You..." sheet... and then do it!

Some more ideas (some cost involved):

Ice cream in bed together naked... one spoon. For the ice cream lover, you could get the pints of ice cream and have ice cream in bed every night. Don't worry about the diet... this is only 12 days... get fat on each other's love!

Some "Christmas socks" you wear... and that's it!

12 pair of sexy panties... one for each day.

Mistletoe (need I say more?) You could used this throughout the 12 days as well by having it show up in various places in the house... or various times... and it could mean more than just kissing. Write up a note and let your hubby know... you may want to even make it a "treasure hunt" by hiding it in various (obvious) places... and then follow through when he finds it!

Three bows (or other wrapping ribbons for all over your body and hair) and place strategically on your body for him to "unwrap".

Remember, the whole idea here is to do what HE would like you to do. Some men may like to take walks. Some may like to stay home and watch TV. You may bless your hubby with a coupon that says he can watch his favorite sports team uninnterupted, or it may be by letting him read a book. Find out what it is that HE would appreciate... and then do it!

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• Dec. 16, 2009 - Weight Lost Wednesday - New Again!

Posted By Tina in Weight Loss Wednesday

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/chasity

Thank you dear Chasity for hosting this again! I lost 53lbs last year when we did this meme TOGETHER. I honestly believe that doing lifestyle change with friends is what helped me to keep going. I met each of my goals one step at a time and my major goal to keep the weight off for a year has been the hardest! I almost acheived it!!!!! I have gained 7 to 10lbs ( depends on the day) and much more belly fat. The belly fat is what came back so fast. I also did not keep up my exercise routine. Thus the fibromyalgia and arthritis pain is at its peak. I am tired. Grumpy.

So my goals:

Stick with the meme!

Get back on the correct foods for me.

Start strengthing exercises and stay with it!

Get my BMI lower ( it is with in the Normal range but at the high end) You can check BMI here: http://caloriecount.about.com/tools

Encourage others in their lifestyle changes.

Here is a link to all the past WLW post. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/solidrock/Weight%2BLoss%2BWednesday/ I read through each and every one of them! Amazing journey.

I look forward to meeting new friends on this journey.

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• Dec. 11, 2009 - Weekly Wrap Up

Posted By Tina in Weekly Wrap Up

From the Heart: This is indeed a busy season. Purposefully planning less school, more family time and relaxing so that the joy of the season can shine through.

In the School Room: Kids were very sick all week. They managed a lot of school. ( more than I would have done!) Very proud of them.

On the Mission Field: We are blessing a poor neighborhood with a Christmas party tonight. Dinner, gifts, and compassion. Looking forward to it.

In the Literary Scene: Oh time to read.....wishful thinking this past week.

In the Kitchen: Keeping it simple! The main dish this week was chicken and rice. ( Big batch) The gals got up at 6am Friday ( they were feeling much better) and made big breakfast. This is hash, potatoes, toast, eggs, ect. They did a wonderful job! And they cleaned up!

On the Creative Side: I have enjoyed making ornaments, beading with Em and helping the gals with shrinky dinks. ( remember those!?)

Thrifty Finds: We have found wonderful new to us things at the thrift store this past week. I got a much needed tea pot ( that whistles) for 25 cents, the gals a pair of jeans for one dollar, a pair of shoes for two dollars. Yesterday we went Christmas shopping at our favorite thrift stores. ( yes we let the kids pick and find what they would like) Em found a beautiful make up dresser. She has wanted one for her art supplies ( has tons of cool divided drawers) for a very long time. The price was reasonable at ten dollars. She also found a much larger bird cage. Other gifts found cannot be mentioned untill after Christmas. Free: Several grape vine wreaths. Will be using these as gifts for next Christmas!

Leaving you this week with a photo of a blessing to us. I have always wanted a vintage upright piano. This 1905 Hobart M Cable is now sitting in our foyer! It was a gift. It has a beautiful tone and is a lovely piece of furniture. Needs a good cleaning, ivory repair ( we have all the ivory), and a tune up. I consider this my Christmas gift!

I was able to talk with the orginal owers of this piano yesterday and found it has been in their family as long as they could remember and belonged orginally to the families great grandmother. It is from Ohio.

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• Dec. 10, 2009 - Five Minutes for Faith

Posted By Tina in Bible

I found this devotion web site for moms that I really like. It is a busy busy season for all of this so the title caught my eye. Check it out! http://www.5minutesforfaith.com/

"Here at 5 Minutes for Faith, we strive to be a little different. Every day we all face struggles, disappointments and difficulties. We sometimes feel as if we are on our journey alone … that is where we want to make a difference in your day. We want to share God's love and grace with you on the days when you need it the most."

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• Dec. 8, 2009 - Tightwad Tuesday Tightwad Tess

Posted By Tina in Tightwad Tuesday

I found this cute and very useful tightwad resource and wanted to pass it on.

Tightwad Tess web page: http://www.tightwadtess.com/

Tightwad Tess Blog: http://tightwadtess.blogspot.com/

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• Sunday, December 6, 2009 - Maintaining excitement throughout THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Posted By Amy Verlennich

I've received a few great questions from some women over the past few days and wanted to share them with all of you participating in THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS... SHMILY STYLE. I think that it will not only help you to know that you're not alone in some of your feelings and struggles, but to also be encouraged, so stop back over the next few days to see some of the questions women have been asking, as well as some ideas to help you get through THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!

QUESTION: "Amy, how do you maintain excitement for 12 days of Christmas Shmily time? I tried it last year and frankly it was hard! Hubby was feeling special but honestly I just wanted to be left alone and sleep. Help me get mentally straightened out to try again!" - Jessica

I have to be honest... I struggle EVERY year with this whole thing, to some extent. Now, don't get me wrong, it's so much better than it used to be BEFORE I started the "12 days of Christmas" with my hubby... but that doesn't mean it doesn't go off without some trials, and I honestly believe that the more women that I tell about the 12 days of Christmas in order to bless their marriages... well, do you think that satan is just gonna sit back and watch my marriage flourish? Absolutely not!

It's not always easy to "maintain excitement" for 12 consecutive days, and some years are certainly harder than others! As much as I'm trying to be positive about this year... I have to admit, I've been in a slump with our move to a place where know virtually no one to plant a church with my Beloved. We have had our ups and downs, and since we are VERY passionate people... our ups tend to be "sky high" while our downs are... well, they're down right ugly. Now, take all that, add in homeschooling, kids away from friends, financial stresses and... a baby due soon... well, that just sounds like the makings for a disaster doesn't it? tee hee...

I honestly hesitated this year when I realized when THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS was going to be and when the baby was due... I am literally due the day before I normally start this whole thing (which is my hubby's birthday) and so not only did I realize I was going to have the "normal" struggles of prior years... but having a baby at some point before the 12 days is up certainly means I'm gonna need to get a LITTLE... uh... creative... Not only will hormones be in full swing... but I will have a new little one "sucking the life out of me" (I nurse my babies) and that can be draining as well.

But the more I thought about "canceling" the whole thing... the more I knew I needed to do it... not just for my sweet Beloved... but because I needed to look forward to it as well. I needed to remind myself of all those reasons I fell in love with my husband... and the many more that I've fallen in love with since then.

I think we all know that by doing this... we certainly are blessing our husbands and our marriages... but I realized how I've really taken the whole thing for granted by thinking that I'm doing my husband some great big favor... when, in reality... I am equally blessed by these very special 12 days each year. By focusing on the good things about my husband, I "fall in love" all over again with the man I married... but there is still more...

I GET to serve my husband more intentionally then I normally do. Sure, I wash his clothes, make meals for him (although I don't know if he'd say that's a blessing or not considering the cook HE is), make sure his closet is full of clothing that fits and shoes to wear... but I can so easily fall into the routine of being his wife, that I forget the privilege of being so much more... a servant who acts out of love, expecting nothing in return... THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS makes me focus on my husband's wants, needs, and desires more than ever before and I find myself truly loving making him smile. It's no longer about what he's done for me... what I might get in return... or why he isn't do this or that... my focus is not on ME... and honestly women, that's right where God wants me as a wife all the time.

So, while I know 12 days IS hard to keep the excitement alive... I want to challenge you to really focus on your husband and not yourself... push yourself to go a little further when you feel like throwing in the towel... go the distance because in the end... it will not only be your husband that will be blessed... but you as well.

FYI: I made a booklet to encourage your husband for 30 weeks... in it there are a few things that might help you to stay focused on your hubby as you prepare for the 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS... and to help you stay that way throughout. You can find the booklet by clicking the following link: 30-week Husband Encouragement Challenge.

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• Dec. 6, 2009 - Celebrating Advent

Posted By Tina in Family

Anticipating His coming, Expectation. Preparing our hearts. That is what Advent is all about. In our family we read scripture each day ( at least we try to), and recount the events that lead up to the saviors birth. This year we are doing a complete study of Jesus the Messiah by Cindy Zeigler. Our hearts are focused on the reason for the celebration, family, and friends. Gifts and glitz are secondary.

I have found a collection of other bloggers entries and web pages on Advent. Some good words of encouragement and wisdom creative ideas and fun.

http://www.teachingmom.com/features/advent.html I use this calendar every year. This site is full of ideas.

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/my4sweetums/747115/

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2009/12/what-advent-is-really-all-about.html

http://familycorner.blogspot.com/2009/11/advent-wreath.html

http://lilirishlass.blogspot.com/2009/12/unconvential-advent-wreath.html Oh so simple and beautiful!

http://jamespurejoy.blogspot.com/2009/12/childs-advent-wreath-tutorial.html Wish I had thought of this one when mine were toddlers! Cute!

http://kiddley.com/2006/11/22/fill-your-advent-with-activities/ Love this idea.

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/xmas/advent.html

http://www.kidscraftweekly.com/advent_issue.html

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