I would really love to win this contest just because I know a young lady who could really use a new laptop!  If I were to win it I would give it to her!!!

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Today was pretty productive, so far.

Even though yesterday ended with a full force headache (almost to the level that I'd call it a migraine) I feel pretty good today! I did finally give in and take Excedrin PM around 6 last night.  I managed to finish the ironing after dinner, made up a pan of baked oatmeal for today's breakfast and went to bed early. 

I woke up at about 6:45 AM...  whew...  just in time!  I put the baked oatmeal in the oven, took a walk around the lake with Tanya G., talked to Tanya F. on the phone, showered, ate, and started school with the children.

It's now 3:30 and the laundry is washed and dried (needs to be folded and put away... gotta set the children to work on that task), all of the schoolwork I planned for today is done and most of it is graded, and I've answered emails, checked over the bills, etc.

I already put tomorrow's lesson plans up on the dry-erase board in the school room.

Let's see, here's what I'd LIKE to accomplish with the rest of this day:

T-Tapp (Exercise)

Make Dinner (and clean up dinner mess, of course)

Have children clean up school room

Vaccuum the downstairs (or have Kait do it)

Have children fold and put away laundry

Iron whatever needs it from today's laundry

Go to Sarahlee's Honor Star Crowning at church

Crochet a little before bedtime and maybe read a chapter of Sixth Covenant if I'm not too sleepy!

It's a drizzly, chilly day, but the colors of the sky and the grass are so vivid and beautiful today that I almost don't mind the sunshine's shyness! I just praise the Lord that His World is so full of marvelous things and that even on a day that ought to be gloomy and dreary He reveals Himself in all sorts of amazing ways!

I pray that your day is surprisingly cheery too!

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Yesterday went well.  After the early morning walk around the lake, breakfast  (kefir smoothies) and devotions we headed downstairs to attack the scheduled school work.  I feel frustrated by how much whispering and talking I deal with each day and have been trying to crack down on that. 

I spent a good deal of time making copies and prepping school work for the upcoming months while the children did their book work. 

For lunch I made homemade pizza.  I put garlic in the crust.  It was so yummy! 

After lunch and some housework, I quickly threw some chicken and spanish rice casserole into the oven and dashed off to take Kaitlyn to her behind-the-wheel driving instruction. While I waited for her I picked up this week's raw milk, found a few bargains at Goodwill, and read a few chapters of my current book that I am reading, Sixth Covenant by Brock and Bodie Thoene, which is from the A.D. Chronicles Series.

At home, I was too tired to crochet.  I checked my email and went to bed.  All night my head was pounding and before I even opened my eyes I today I knew I had a bad headache!

This morning, breakfast was cold cereal (same as every Tues. b/c it is the only weekday morning that I can sleep in until 7...  so I schedule something easy for the children to do unattended!) We did our devotions and we've done a bit of our bookwork, but it's been slow going today.

Hannah lost her reader...  so she can't finish her assigned work.  I lost a math test packet, so I called to order a new one this morning. One of the ladies who orders Azure with the co-op that delivers to my house called with a small scheduling question this morning and I forgot to put the dryer on so I am about an hour behind on laundry today.

All in all not too bad of a start to our day, but I always feel like so much more is POSSIBLE.  Ever feel like that?

There is nowhere I need to be this evening.  That's a relief.  I do need to run to the post office this afternoon, but that will only take a total of 30 minutes or so.  Maybe I will let Kaitlyn drive with me if my head stops hurting. 

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Let's see, I started my Mother's Day weekend on Thursday or so by rereading my own blog entry from May 2006...

 I was feeling a little pouty because I was already anticipating how imperfect "MY" Mother's Day was going to be.  Reminding myself not to ruin my own day with silly (and clearly UNBIBLICAL) expectations was a great place to start.

I don't know about you, but it is amazing how many reminders I need to think right!  It's no wonder my children struggle with first time obedience to me and their father.  I struggle with first time obedience to my Heavenly Father everyday!

Friday, my husband sent me a beautiful boquet of assorted roses (all quite lovely) in a pinkish-purple vase!  There was even a box of chocolates!  He was so proud of himself!  I just love that man!!! 

Friday evening, my hubby wanted to see the new Star Trek movie. We didn't get home until almost 10.  It is nice that the children are all old enough for an occasional later excursion!

On Saturdays we try to observe a Sabbath Day rest.  I do as much preparation work on Friday during the day so that at sunset on Friday we can begin our Shabbat and take a break from any unnecessary work. I have to admit I am terrible at this.  I will "catch" myself working and will be surprised that I am doing it purely out of habit.  Funny, isn't it?

I DID read a great book and chatted with my hubby and then on the phone with a friend until about 11.  Then, I suddenly remembered that I needed to be at a friend's house at noon.  I was not showered or dressed and had not had a bite to eat yet.  OH, and by the way, the friend lives 40 minutes away.  OOPS!

I managed to get dressed!  Well, of course, I did not drive there in my pajamas!  But I did not shower or eat!  I was on time and picked Kaitlyn up from a birthday party she had attended! (Usually we do not allow Kaitlyn to attend slumber parties, but this one was only girls in the home because the dad and the boys spent the night elsewhere and it was only a handful of girls who are like-minded with modest and conservative values so my hubby and I felt that it would be fine.)

I stayed for about 30 or 40 minutes visiting with the mom of the birthday girl and another mom picking up her daughter.  I had not seen either of them in a long while and it was so fun catching up with them.  The birthday girls' mom is newly pregnant with her 11th baby!  What a precious joy!

On the way home, Kaitlyn shared with me all of the wonderful conversations they had had at the party about courtship, modesty, a pure heart, etc.  Oh how refreshing! They had watched Pride & Predjudiced on Friday afternoon and evening and then had watched Fireproof that morning.  It had sparked some really great conversations!

We arrived home a few minutes after 1PM.  A friend called and asked if she could come by (since she was in the area) and learn how to make kefir! I was so excited to share that with her and while I was waiting for her arrival I found myself in one of those situations I described above where I was working out of habit.  My friend ended up getting caught in traffic and it took her over an hour to get to my house.  By the time she arrived I had vaccummed the whole upstairs, unloaded the dishwasher, ground 16 cups of grain, mixed up dough for 4 loaves of bread and had it rising on the stove top, and pulled down all my kefiring supplies...  but I forgot to eat.  Now remember I had not had any breakfast. 

My friend and I had not seen each other in a long time and had a great time kefiring and visiting while her four lovely children played with my children. She stayed for a couple hours and just as she was leaving ANOTHER friend stopped by! What an unusual day!

THIS friend had been decluttering and had found two dresses and a pretty skirt that she thought I might like to have! Wasn't that thoughtful?  We enjoyed watching her two little ones play in the backyard with my two youngest (who no longer like to be called "Littles" now that they are 8 and 10!) while my older children were on a bike ride with their Daddy!  It was such a pleasant day!

At 3:15 Kaitlyn was picked up by a friend and given a ride to her Driver's Ed. class.  This was her third weekend of classes!  My friends' daughter is also taking the class so we've been able to carpool!  What a blessing THAT is!

I FINALLY remembered to eat breakfast at 5:30 PM.  Shame on me.  I am hypoglycemic, so I immediately realized that I had really goofed and that I will need to be mindful of the effects over the next few days.

Our evening was relaxing.  I finished a shawl for a 12 year old daughter of a friend from MOMYS and started an afghan for our neighbors.

Sunday morning was pretty typical, but it included a cute card from my boys and a chocolate chai tea from the coffee shop on the way to church...  with KAITLYN driving!  She is really catching on though!  At first I would get really queasy, but she is doing better every drive!

The church service was so nice.  I tend to be a crier at church and this was no exception.  The Holy Spirit was definitely present and tears flowed, but in a good way. All of the moms received some nice garden gloves as a gift.  I am really looking forward to using mine to get my garden ready for starts that are arriving next week!

After church we went to Subway. I know that doesn't sound romantic, but I love meatball marinara subs!  My hubby knows me so well!  We also saw our new pastor and his family swing by and get some subs too!  So it was not all that weird, I suppose!  ;)

When we arrived home I folded a load of laundry and did some ironing so my hubby will have shirts ready for his work week.  I made a mental note to get a new iron and ironing board as both are literally falling apart!

The girl who we carpool with for Driver's Ed. decided to stay home and spend the day with her mama so when it was time for Kaitlyn to go to her class the whole family rode with me so they could spend the rest of the day with ME!  Wasn't that sweet?

While we waited for Kaitlyn I did go get that new iron!  (and a new pencil sharpener for homeschool...  I can't believe how often we need a new one!)

After Kaitlyn's class we came home and relaxed all together.  I crocheted a lot more on the neighbor's new afghan and watched a movie and got to bed way tooooooo late!

This morning I got up early and walked around the lake, made kefir smoothies for my children and myself (and we had English muffins).  So far we have accomplished devotions and quite a bit of our day's schoolwork and a few loads of laundry.  Now it's time for lunch.

Now, I realize this is a very boring entry, but I am just trying to get back into the routine of blogging at all.  I hope that I will have some cute stories, inspiring insights or at least a thought that is more than just on the surface next time!  Thanks for reading and I have missed all of you!

Have a GREAT week! See you again  SOON!

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Every so often I sign into my blog and start to post an entry.  I have lots of things happening in my life.  What homeschooling mother of 5 doesn't?  I have plenty of things I have been learning about, reading about, hearing about, but there is so much I almost can't coherently sort it out enough to write something anyone besides myself would understand!

I started blogging because I have been journaling for almost as long as I can remember and I enjoy having a written record of my own ramblings.  ;)  Actually, there is something about going back over what I have written that causes some kind of growth in me.  As I read I sigh over the foolishness of my thought patterns, shake my head in amazement at how much some things never change, smile at the sweet memories and blush over my own mistakes!

I also love scrapbooking.  My family is very dear to my heart and I enjoy the artistic expression of capturing the beauty of my life in this way.  All of us in my family love to pull the big scrapbook volumes off the shelf in our living room and flip through the years.  It's amazing how much we all look alike.  It's amazing how big the children have grown (and unfortuneately me too!)  It's fun to relive the memories and look forward with wonder to the future that will fill those blank pages!

Another part of my life is my friendships. I enjoy my "in real life" friends and my online friends as well.  I treasure the commaraderie, the exhortations and encouragements.  I love they way they spur me on, hold me up, bear my burdens, lean on me, teach me, and even tease me! I am so thankful for each one of them and their influences on my life.

Blogging sort of a digital form of journal meets scrapbooking meets social networking for me!  When I first heard of it I didn't actually know anyone who did blog, but it sounded interesting.  I was soon in deep!  For awhile I blogged a lot!  I blogged about every little thing, but lately I just don't.  And I miss it. 

I really want to get back to this wonderful pasttime and I have found that sometimes making a commitment "OUT LOUD" helps me to keep it!  So here I am saying it in black and white (and maybe purple too)...  "I'm BACK!"  I am not making daily promises here, but I am going to try to get back into the swing of things while keeping my priorities in a row here at home too! 

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Ok, since my Mom won't blog, I will for her!!! He he he he.

I thought I would describe my mom by these buttons.... 

Ok, ok, some of it is kind of mean.....sorry mommy!  I hope you still love and adore me!!! LOL :)

GO TO KAITEE'S BLOG!!! ........Err, I mean, leave a comment to my dear mommy! 

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It's been so long since I blogged I was not even sure I'd remember my password!  Obviously, I did!  LOL! 

I made it through the 90 day cleanse and decided to follow it with a continued modified cleanse.  I think I am up to Day 104 or 105 or something like that. 

With this cleanse I have had some serious physical ups and downs.  On Monday, I went in for a follow up appt. on my blood pressure.  The doctor had wanted to put me on meds in December and I convinced him to allow me to try to lower it naturally.  He made me promise to come back in three months. 

I had forgotten that promise, but I had a spot on my hand that I wanted to make sure was not skin cancer (it wasn't) so I decided to go in and then remembered my promise to have my BP checked.

In the meantime, my doctor transferred (the joys of Navy medical!  But at least it's FREE!)  So, I met the new doctor on Monday. 

She looked over my chart and was amazed that I had lost 25 lbs. since Dec. and that my BP was perfect!  She literally congratulated me several times and told me that I was doing so great!  That truly made my day and made the difficult months behind me more worthwhile!

I still have 25 more lbs. to lose, but finally my body is responding correctly to good health choices!  Praise God!

February was a bit emotional for me as I realized that Baby Mara Serene would have been due, but God brought me through that as well. 

During our morning devotions we have been listening to a WONDERFUL CD by Keith and Kristyn Getty. I love all the songs on it, but one in particular has been my theme song lately and I wanted to share it with you, my bloggy friends. 

The part that runs over and over in my mind is the line that says, "At the end of my heart's testing, with your likeness let me wake. "  May I truly become more and more like Yeshua, my Messiah.  May He continue to break me and shape me into His likeness.

Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer

"Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer" Music by Keith Getty; Words by Margaret Becker Copyright © 2002 Thankyou Music Jesus draw me ever nearer As I labour through the storm. You have called me to this passage, and I'll follow, though I'm worn. May this journey bring a blessing, May I rise on wings of faith; And at the end of my heart's testing, With Your likeness let me wake. Jesus guide me through the tempest; Keep my spirit staid and sure. When the midnight meets the morning, Let me love You even more. Let the treasures of the trial                                  Form within me as I go - And at the end of this long passage, Let me leave them at Your throne.

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The definition of pure religion is found in James 1:27

 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

At first blush it may seem that this verse is about visiting those in need in the literal sense.  While I believe being available and comforting is a start I believe that this verse is a command to meet the needs of the fatherless and widows.  This is very dear to my heart.

I am thrilled about a new ministry, called GLEANING the HARVEST, that givesthe opportunity to meet families and do something about it! I would ask that if you can give a little bit here and there to do so and if you cannot...  then please at least get the word out by adding icons to your blog and blogging about this wonderful ministry!

The current families (click on their icons to read their stories):

Every little bit will be a blessing and make sure to pray for each of these families everyday!

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6:45 Time to wake up and do morning chores

7:30 Breakfast and Kitchen clean-up

8:00 Devotions, Brain Gym, and Read-Aloud

9:30 Editing Drill and Math Drills

9:45 Start Individual Lessons

12:00 Lunch and clean-up

1:30 Back to classroom

3:00 Free Time

4:30 Evening Chores and Dinner Preps

6:00 Dinner and Kitchen Clean-up

7:00 Family Time

8:00 Bedtime Routine for children usually begins

8:30 Quiet Reading in Bedrooms

9:00 Lights out for children

10:00 Lights out for mommy!

This schedule is flexible, but it is pretty close to this everyday.

This week we finished all of the school work I scheduled except that Jordan has one Test to finish (Bible).  We did not finish all of the To Do List I wrote, but I am always over ambitious in that area (and under energetic).

I managed to get a lot of little tasks done and feel great about that. 

I have lost a total of 16 lbs. so far too!

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I'll bet you are all tired of my slide shows. This is just the last few of the 2008 photos.  NOW I am all back up to date and I am really starting to feel better so I think I may be able to get back into normal blogging soon!  I even have some cute things the children have said and done to share!  (If I can remember them!  Do you ever do that...  wish you had written them down because you can't remember them later?)

HEALTH UPDATE:

I am over a month into my 90 day cleanse. I have gone from feeling horrible most of the time everyday to feeling horrible just for part of each day to now I am at the point where I feel just weak and tire for part of each day (instead of flat out horrible).  Yesterday I had a extremely sleepy phase in the mid morning and a headache (not too bad) in the early evening.  The rest of the day I felt fine and even GREAT at some points.

So far today I feel pretty good.  It was hard to wake up b/c I stayed up crocheting until 11AM, but I did get out of bed at 7AM.  I felt really tired when I was doing devotions with my children, but I feel okay now.  I would not say I feel great, but not bad.  That is a huge improvement for me.

So far in the cleanse I have completed a colon cleanse, and one round of liver cleanse.  I am repeating the liver cleans step this weekend.  The entire cleanse is good for ridding myself of toxins and candida and there will be a parasite cleanse later followed by another liver cleanse. 

I CAN eat:

Meats: Chicken, Beef, and Scaled Fish.  NO processed meats. (I don't usually eat pork anyway and I never eat shellfish...YUCK!  I just don't like it!)

Veggies: Any veggies except potatoes and sweet potatoes.  I am chosing not to eat mushrooms for the same reason that I am not eating peanuts.  (See "Other Proteins" below)

Grains: ABSOLUTELY NONE.  After the 90 days I can reintroduct sprouted grains and some whole grains

Sweetners: ONLY occasional stevia and xylitol.  Later I will reintroduce raw honey.

Dairy: ONLY kefired raw cow's milk , butter and unpasteurized cream. I get raw milk once a week and kefir every other day.

Other Proteins: Beans, Nuts and Seeds, but I am not doing any peanuts due to my suspicions that I have a candida overgrowth and peanuts are actually a high fungus food. 

Condiments: Only homemade mayo is allowed (although I  have not made any yet) unless I can find a mayo with no vinegar and no sweetners.  I have one made with Apple Cider Vinegar (which is the only allowed vinegar), but it also has brown rice syrup.  I will be able to reintroduce that after the cleanse. I can also have Olive Oil (cold pressed is the best!) and I cook with coconut oil, flax seed oil and occasionally add cod liver oil to my smoothies!

Fruits: ONLY strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, GRANNY SMITH apples, and grapefruits.  I can also add lemon juice to my water or unsweetened cranberry juice (with nothing added to it...just the plain cranberry juice not a cranberry cocktail of any sort!)

I don't think I missed any of the major details here.  I am keeping up on my supplements and have added extra B Complex, olive leaf extract (great for helping with die-off symptoms), and an adrenal supplement (which I just ran out of.) I am also using a product called Natural Calm for my Calcium-Magnesium balance and have been drinking a cup of warm water with sea salt in it every morning.

I have lost 13 lbs. so far, but that is not really my goal although it is wonderful and needed!

Oh yes, I have also been drinking aloe vera juice from time to time to lower my elevated blood pressure and I have been adding Grapefruit Seed Extract to a glass of water three times a day.

Whew!  I am sure I missed a few things.  At first it took all my energy just to do this routine b/c it was so extensive.  It really was not fun missing out on all the special foods that came into the house in December, but it was great to do this while my husband had some time off from work.  And I started off 2009 feeling like I had already kept a resolution by completing the first month of my cleanse!!! 

I am on DAY 34...  56 to go on the "hard part"!  I am amazed that I have been able to say no to pumpkin cream cheese rolls, peacan bars, Ian's bday cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, homemade bread, Malynda's butterscotch, cashew, fried Chinese noodle thingys (whatever those are called!) and more!  Sometimes I want some treats so bad and I REALLY miss cheese!!!  I LOVE cheese! I have craved brown rice and other things from time to time, but I have done okay and when I think about how far I have come I don't want to undo the past 5 weeks and that helps along with praying and praying for the strength I need from God and relying fully on HIM!

Thank-you for those of you who have been praying for me.  It means a lot and it really does help!!! 

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