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My eldest two daughters went off to church camp yesterday afternoon. I can't believe it's been a year already!! Wow, how time sure does fly. Since it was my second eldest's first time at the older camp, I requested they be in the same cabin this year. My eldest was a little nervous...wondering if any of her friends from last year would be there. She (and her friends too) had the option of staying in the same camp or moving on to the oldest camp. They had all agreed to stay one more year in the camp they are in now. She was just hoping that they stayed with the plan is all. lol!! Once we arrived at their cabin, they picked out their beds. While we were getting them settled in, our eldest's friends walked into the cabin!! They were in the SAME cabin again!! She was SOOO happy!! It was all laughter and giggles from there on out. At the beginning of camp each year, they do some tie dying of headbands (for each team, which they are assigned to) up at the shelter on the hill. Then, they go down to the lake for their swim test...if they choose to take it...to determine if they will be allowed in the deeper end of the lake. Well, I asked the girls if they wished us to drive them to the shelter on our way out or if they were going to walk. My eldest replied that they were walking with their friends and that I was free to leave for home. I started to laugh at my 'veteran camper' in front of me, shewing me out the door. She went from timid and shy at last year's camp to my brave lil camper running off with her friends!! My second eldest was fitting in just fine too, which I had worried about. I don't know how many of her friends from last year have moved up to the older camp, but she was quickly making friends with our eldest's friends too. I'm sure they are having a blast even as I type. lol!! I miss them a lot, but I know they are having the time of their lives and making memories, all the while learning about God. An awesome time for any kid! I can't wait to hear about all of their adventures when they get home on Friday! I'm sure they will have plenty of pics and video as well (they took one of my cameras)! |
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Lately, I've been totally and utterly appalled (yet not surprised) by the complete trampelling of the Constitution going on in Washington. More and more rights are being taken away at record speed. I have thus been keeping up on my own state's hearings for state sovereignty to be restored. Then, today, I read this on Foxnews http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/25/state-lawmakers-considering-opt-federal-healthcare/ . It has to do with a handful of states passing laws to ensure that Americans in their states will not be FORCED to take the federal health insurance that Obama is now forcing down our throats. I think this is sad that we even have to do this (pass state sovereignty bills), but feel that it must be done too. However, I think more and more Americans are getting fed up with this run-away administration. |
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Oh...since I never posted pics of my lilies onto here, I thought I'd do so today.
These lighter colored buds that have not yet bloomed are my white ones that are fully bloomed now. This pic was taken a couple weeks ago.
(Yes, we keep the girls' bikes locked to the fence posts since our eldest had her's stolen from our front porch just two summers ago. Sorry they are in the pic. lol!! But don't the flowers make the bikes look so much nicer?! rofl!! ) |
Today is certainly a fitting day, as it is a full day into 'summer'...officially. lol!! It is pretty hot outside and muggy as well. But that's just from me opening the back door and feeling it. One of my daughters said it's kind of windy though..so guess that helps with that heat. lol! Today also holds another special place for me....it is my 'spiritual birthday'. I accepted Jesus as my savior this very day at church camp in 1990. My twin sis did as well, so I have a bday card to send out.  I sometimes ponder where both of our lives would be right now had neither of us accepted Jesus. It's a scary thought. One reason I am so thankful we did. |
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It's been pretty busy around here the last couple of days. It's not bothering me a whole bunch like it used to though, now that I have some energy. It's kind of wierd. I knew I was tired before, but just not HOW tired until now. I feel totally different. I've been going all over the place for the last couple of weeks...bike rides, parks, swimming pool, workouts at home, gardening, festivals, farmers markets, VBS...and I've actually been dealing with it all without a massive physical breakdown where I need to sleep ALL the time, every day, like I used to. I am happy. It's awesome to feel 'normal' again!! Our dryer pooped out on us last week and I ended up doing laundry at the laundry mat with my twin sis late at night. lol!! It's quieter during that time...and like us, you run into cute lil black kittens with their mom in the laundry mat (the doors are kept propped open 24 hours during the summer months)!! So adorable but completely feral and wouldn't let us touch them or even get close enough to. Anywhooo...my dad came to my place and looked at my dryer (again..as it stopped on us last year too..lol!). He found that this time it wasn't in the wall wiring but with the dryer wiring this time. There was a faulty ground wire, which he replaced. Works like a charm now! Thanks dad! (he doesn't read this...but I'll say it anyways!) My girls have been attending VBS this week...both in the mornings and evenings. The morning one is the church where we attend Awanas and homeschool co-op. We weren't sure we'd have the gas to go this week, as it's 25 minutes away from us. But we're managing...so far. The VBS the girls attend in the evenings this week is here in our own town, about 5 minutes (or less) away from where we live. My parents go there (off and on) and invited the girls to go at the last minute yesterday (like 30minutes before it started). Their younger cousin is also attending for the week. That VBS is much smaller, but they like it. The theme is 'Son Rock Camp'...the whole camping experience theme, which I like. lol! It's a Word of Life VBS. Overall...I like the one at the larger church. I've listened in on both VBS's activities/messages and I really like the morning one so much more. It's theme is 'Son Harvest' with the whole farm/harvesting look. It's really cool what they've done with it and ALL the kids seem to enjoy it much more. Plus, this one starts at age 3 thru kids entering 7th grade. I plan on taking my 4 yr old niece since she isn't old enough to attend the WOL VBS in the evenings. I'm just hoping our gas holds out so we can go the rest of the week!! While at VBS today, I read thru the manual for our math program..Math On The Level. All year, I've been giving the girls workbook pages, ALEKS (free 2 months trial), free online sites and their Timez Attack CDs. They all seem to do a good enough job, but I know there are serious gaps in their math learning this way. Plus, though we have used a lot of different math methods, we just haven't done a lot of math in general. Soooo...with our tax money, I bought next year's curriculum along with a new more comprehensive math curriculum( I believe). It starts at pre-k and goes thru pre-algebra (though looking thru the pre-algebra section, it covers a LOT of material that I covered in Algebra and Geometry in hs...which is awesome!). It's a terrific price for how many years' work you get out of it. The math goes at their own pace (fast or slow...whatever they need), and shows very clearly where all gaps in learning are. It can be used in unit studies as well! I can teach all of my girls the same math concepts, just at their level if I want also! And they only do 5 review problems a day (not counting all the ones you may need to do with/for them while teaching a 'new' concept). AND...as if it didn't already have enough...it has built in record-keeping! Pretty nifty!! I'm am such a terrible record-keeper (just ask Kim Wolf...she knows how bad I am at it!) that this is great news for me. I can use all the help I can get. And since we have been so behind in our math the last two years...this curriculum fits us great and will allow me to fill in all those gaps I've created in their math learning. I'm excited to start it. It has given me hope that I haven't totally screwed up my kids' math learning. lol!! My girls have also been doing Growing With Grammar and are LOVING it!! My older two do their lessons by themselves in this and come to me when they have questions. They like that...independent study. I must admit, I like that too. It's one less thing I have to do. And they love it so much they ask to do more than one lesson!! lol!! Any curriculum that can do that, I'm all for it! lol! My eight yr old also loves using it and she still can't read a whole lot...just very basic sentences. But I usually do this with her and she is doing surprisingly good in it. I am definitely sticking with this, since she was essentially being left out of the grammar lessons (due to her lack of reading) in our unit study, even though it covered the same topics. She would listen to the grammar lesson but wouldn't be able to practice it to solidify what she was learning. We have had torrential downpour of rain tonight...so I'm hoping it stops tomorrow. I think they still have rain in the forecast though. Bummer. But I'm hoping it goes away soon so I can get back outside riding bikes with the girls in our neighborhood and with my sis down the bike path from our town to the next. It was a killer ride but oh so gorgeous! One of the bikes I brought has practically no resistance and is terrific for a liesurely ride down the path. I did that one the way to the next town...totally loved it. However, the other bike has umpteen gears and a ton of resistence on any of them. lol! My sis got a HUGE workout on the way there. We switched up on the way back to our town and I about killed myself. It was NOT hot out or anything...very breezy in fact. But I was so tired that I felt like I was gonna faint even after chugging my water bottle like there was no tomorrow. lol! Both my sis and I were whipped when we got back to her place. It was a total of 10 miles. Ugh. Our legs were all wobbly when we got to her place and we both fell asleep on the couches for over an hour...or was it two? lol! Anywhoooo...I wasn't sore the next day so that's good news. But I'm just itchin' to get back at it again and try to do the ride better this time...work up my stamina. Plus, I just want to enjoy that beautiful scenery again! Awesome! My three elder girls go to church camp soon! The older two go in about a week and a half. They are counting down the days, literally. lol! They LOVED it there last year. I am so happy they enjoyed it so much and that they are able to go again this year. My third daughter won't be going til mid-July. She is excited but kinda nervous since this will be her first time. I know she will love it as much as her sisters and will make lots of new friends. And yes, I'm actually entrusting them again with my other digital camera (2yrs old) to take with them for pics/video...whichever they choose. They will have a blast! I love summer!!
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I've noticed some changes lately besides just my weight loss/waist change. I have had a LOT more energy and have also had a clearer mind/head..no more mental fog (at least not near as bad as it was). I can actually concentrate on things now. Honestly, I haven't felt this good in a long time...even with my back being pulled as it is. lol!! The last time I remember having the energy to clean most of my house in one day, do the laundry, dishes, outside yard work, workouts, and concentrate on doing the girls' school work and my own work too...well, it was over five years ago. Honest. I feel like I'm getting my life back and my mind back after a LOOONG blanket covered it. It has seemed like my own personal prison for a long time...having no energy or ability to concentrate on anything for hardly any time at all or even gather my thoughts together. It seems now that my thyroid, growth hormone and body have all changed for the better that I am now reaping the benefits. Finally!!! Praise God!! Even my hubby noticed. Ya know what the first question out of his mouth was? "Honey...are you pregnant?" The last time I was prego was a little over five years ago. That was the last time I had this kind of energy or clear-headedness. I of course laughed at his question, but I understood why he was asking it too. lol!! Nope..no baby. But I am so happy for the new-found energy and focusing ability!! |
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This week has been a fairly good one. I'm still sticking to my workouts, though I pulled my back on Monday doing so. I rested some yesterday and used the heating pad, which helped a lot. My back is still sore, but doing much better today. On a terrific note, I've dropped another inch in my waist in my weight loss pursuit! Yea!! I'm very happy about that and just gives me more encouragement to keep on going! More good news...my flowers have started to BLOOM!! Yes, my 'Commander in Chief' lilies are blooming..bright red and gorgeous!! I have only two open right now, but a few more that are ready to in the next day or so. I planted them just a month ago, so wasn't sure if they'd bloom this season or not. But they have! My other day lily stems have 3-7 buds on each plant!! Awesome!! They will look terrific once they've all bloomed!! I have some weeding to do, but the flowers look great! My marigolds and forget-me-nots are still in the early stages of growth and none have any flowers yet...so still waiting. But I can be patient. I'm going to post pics of my first blooms later today if I can. |
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Have you ever had one of those random thoughts just pop into your head that starts a landslide of questions to just start forming? I just had one of those earlier and thought I'd just throw it out here for all to read...no matter how stupid it sounds. Okay? So laugh if ya wanna...remember...it's late (1:05 am) and I'm tired. Wierd things happen when I'm tired. lol!! So, I saw that on Natgeo (National Geographic tv) they were airing some special on dinosaurs,etc and heard their little speal about evolution and how old the earth supposedly is. You know...the whole 'millions and billions of years old' thingy. Now, I've never agreed with this view and have always been taught the traditional view of creation in six literal days,etc. However...I had this totally wierd thought about Adam and Eve...about how old THEY were. The Bible states Adam was like 963 or some odd years. Or maybe it was 936...I'll have to check. lol! However, the Bible never says how long they were in the garden of Eden. They could've been in there a very LONG time for all we know. It never states on what day or year they committed the first sin either. They were intended to live forever, never to age, ......until that first sin. Their sin set into motion the process of 'death/dying"....AGING. NOT BEFORE the sin. So...their 'aging' would've started at the time of their sin, right? So...isn't there always that possibility that the earth may be older than we think because Adam's age could've theoretically been started/calculated from the time of his first sin and ejection from the Garden? Then how old would that make the earth?!! lol!! I know, I know. Totally out there. But I thought I'd just throw it out anyhow for all to read. lol!! Dont' worry...I'm not taking it seriously. (unless some creation scientist decides to give some kind of credence to my theory and contacts me. rofl!!!) I still believe in a six day creation and a young earth. So don't get your panties into a bunch over my blog entry tonight. Just one of those late night crazy thoughts. lol!! Maybe I'll write something even crazier tomorrow!!! |
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For Today... Outside my window...beautiful, warm sunshine and birds singing! I love Spring! I am thinking...that I am glad winter is finally gone. From the learning rooms...same ol' same ol'! I am thankful for...SUNSHINE!!! (yes, again...but I can't say it enough!) From the kitchen...nada right now. However, I have meat thawing for meatloaf tonight. Yum! I am wearing...capris, a t-shirt, and sandals. I am reading...different books. Two for the girls' school and one of my own. And yes, it gets confusing. I am hoping...not to get all the plots mixed up while reading so many books at once. I am creating...a list of things I need to do/get done during this week. I am praying...for sanity. rofl!! Around the house...flowers. Literally 'around the house'...on the outside of course! One of my favorite things...to hear my girls laughing and playing 'nicely' together. A few plans for the rest of the week...homeschool, taking my eldest to mow lawns, appointments with my endo and the girls' endo, getting ID photos for the pool, daily exercise/weight lifting, and anything else that might come up. Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
My second oldest on the slip'n'slide at church camp last summer (she's the front one, in pink). Her and her older sis had a BLAST last summer at camp and can't wait to go again this year. My third daughter is also going for the first time this year! I hope they have a lot of fun, once again! |
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Just wishing a Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there!! Thanks for all of your hard work, dedication and love that you put into your children's lives each and every day...homeschooling and everything else! (Dads that are homeschooling...your turn is next month. ) May your Mother's Day be relaxing and fun! |