Chrystal's Daily Chronicles - Homeschool Blogger

Come Visit Me!

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:25:01 -0500

Check out https://chrystalschronicles.blogspot.com

I'M MOVING

Sun, 1 Apr 2007 23:44:00 -0500

Come visit me over my other blog. Beginning April 1st, I'll be posting everything in one place! I hate to leave HomeschoolBlogger. The community here is so wonderful but I'm looking forward to moving in to my new place and making it home. I'll be popping back over here to visit friends though. Hope to see you soon!

Leaving Homeschool Blogger?

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 01:01:00 -0500

I've been contemplating moving this blog for sometime. I actually had to set a deadline of 100 posts because I could see that it was going to take forever for me to decide. Well I hit 100 posts yesterday.

I have another blog over at Blogger which was my original blog. It was only designed to be inspirational in nature and I planned to update it every blue moon. Then I realized that I had more to say that more directly tied into my daily life so I started one over here at HomeschoolBlogger. I love it here and I love the community but frankly as I blog more, Blogger is just so much easier to use.

Right now, I'm trying to decide if I'm going to still maintain an "inspirational blog" and a "daily blog" over at Blogger or combine them and just let it all hang out in one place.

Anyway, why am I saying this? I guess I'm trying to see if anyone can give me a reason why I shouldn't leave the homeschool blog here? I'm open if there is something I'm overlooking.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on the possible move/possible merger.

Thanks in advance....

Hello....My Name is Chrystal...

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 23:57:00 -0500

and I'm addicted to sugar.

I've been fighting an uphill/downhill battle with my diet and exercise since the holidays and it dawned on me yesterday that what's been occurring is more than meets the eye. It's been a slippery slope as it relates to my resolve. What had gotten so easy before the holidays has become increasingly more difficult to manage. My exercise is good but my diet is ALL OVER THE PLACE. My main problem. SUGAR....

I checked out addiction at www.dictionary.com and this is what I found for a definition: the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

Let's see...eating sugar is a habit. I always need something sweet to end a meal, even if it is only a mint. I hit lows and will eat healthy things like veggies, and protein to stave the specific hunger, but nothing besides an Oreo will do the trick. And let's be real. You can't just eat one. I'd gotten a $50 gift certificate to Starbucks for Christmas that has led me to believe that, since it was free, frequent drive-bys were OK. I would throw in the Milk Chocolate Graham Crackers just because.

What about "cessation causes severe trauma". Well, let's just say that I've detoxed before. The first couple of days is MADNESS. I'm crabby, I get headaches, and just overall feel like something isn't right. If I'm not loopy, that sounds like drug rehab. Truth be told, I've probably had my share of the shakes...

I've been fighting this Romans 7 battle for my whole life and I'm SO tired of it. Granted, I've been losing weight gradually but my true desire is not to be double-minded about my commitment to nutrition and health. Sugar makes me double-minded.

I can decide NOT to have any cake....until my sister orders some. So, my response?...I'll just have one bite. You know where that leads....TO DESTRUCTION!

I have self-control in more than a few areas of my life but when it comes to sugar, I'm just a basketcase.

I've been studying Romans in my BSF class and chapter 12 hit me like a ton of bricks.

Romans 12:1-2 (New International Version)

On Living Sacrifices

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritualact of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

My body doesn't belong to me.

Some people trash their bodies with alcohol, some with drugs, some with tobacco. Trashing with sugar (or overeating) does not put me in some higher class.

So...I'm a sugar addict. I'm probably a carb addict too but one thing at a time.

From what I understand, an addict always has to go through a period of withdrawal and once habit-free will always have to know their limitations. For the rest of their lives, they will have to choose to be addiction-free.

I'm committed to going 7 days without refined sugar. I might stretch it to 14 days and then to 21 but right now I can't think that far. I'm avoiding "sweets", allowing myself natural sweetener on occasion (honey in tea for example). No oreos, no ice cream, no brownies, no sweet tea, no candy bars, no chocolate chip cookies (Lord help me), no Starbucks, etc.. None of these things I'm consume everday now but the problem is that when I know I SHOULDN'T eat them. I STILL DO.

So no sugar...even if I burn 600 calories at the gym.

Anybody want to join me?

Encouragement for Moms

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 22:33:00 -0500

One thing that is always heavy on my heart is making available to other Moms the resources that I happen upon that bless me.

The link below holds a great resource for Moms. I can't always go out of town to attend a conference but I can get online! There are quite a few online conference calls that I've participated in from Marilyn Moll's Urban Homemaker and I always learn something.

Here's the link for the conference call.

Click on Mar 15, 2007 - Marilyn with Lori and Lisa

I took a few notes for my own benefit. I'd like to share. Be sure to come back and leave a comment here on the blog if you listen and are blessed!

When you are training your children in obedience there is an acronym to help you and your kids remember what obedience really is: CRIJ - Completely Respectfully Immediately Joyfully (sparkle in your eyes)

Obedience isn't just an action but it is an attitude of the heart. Our concern for our children should be the heart. Not just the behavior.

Require your children to get their chores done before breakfast. The Bible says if you don't work you don't eat. There is value in work. The first thing to do when your children have obedience issues is to give them additional WORK.

The most important job of a mother of young children is to be at home. Many a mother is burnt out and frazzled because she is attempting to balance more than she is designed to handle. The church many times even subtly puts pressure on mothers to minister in the church, running programs and such. However, the most important ministry of a young mother is the ministry to her children. Every need does NOT constitute a ministry.

The key to doing a good job in your home is to BE AT HOME! Many SAHMs are not at home very often.

Interested in Gardening? - Take a look at the gardening book by Elliott Coleman (didn't get the name), Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew, or Cinderblock Gardening (author not mentioned).

Know that however you may insecure in your abilities as a wife and a mother, there are other people like you! Keep trodding along. God will lead you to the people and places that you need in order to be all that he has created you to be!

Hanging Out at the Zoo

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 00:23:00 -0500

I've been away from blog land. It's Spring Break and I've been hanging out with my kiddos...

Whoopee! I've Finally Lost Some Weight!

Fri, 9 Mar 2007 15:14:00 -0600

My weight has been stagnant since before the holidays. While that was comforting for awhile, as my eating during the Christmas season was slightly less than pristine, the same numbers showing up on the scale got a little old. I had been getting some exercise since. Hopping in and out of the gym had been my New Year routine, so, in order to jolt my system, I joined Jay's Bootcamp.

For the last three weeks, I've been getting up at dark-thirty to drive 30 minutes, be barked at for an hour, only to return home and start my REAL day. Oh the joy :|

I deliberately hadn't checked the scale because I was saving up my excitement - you know...so I could see a BIG change in numbers in between weigh ins. I'd been working so hard during that Boot Camp....

I'd made an agreement with myself that I would not darken the doorsteps of Starbucks again until I was within five pounds of my goal.

Last weekend, I hopped on the scale. I made a special trip to do it too. I got up on a Saturday morning, left the kids sleeping, put on my "weigh-in" clothes, and drove to the gym - yes... just to weigh in. I wish you could have been there. My bottom lip added an extra 2 lbs to the scale when it dropped and hit near my feet in utter amazement. After two grueling weeks of working out and eating a little better than normal, I had GAINED 3 lbs. Can I just stop for a second and spell D-E-J-E-C-T-E-D??!?!!?

I got off the scale, left the gym, and stopped at Donutlicious to celebrate my victory.

I worked out this past week half heartedly. I did the work but without the heart. My thought life was ridden with fears of not ever being able to lose weight again because I was nearing 35 and I've heard that somewhere in the 30-35 age bracket losing weight becomes a laughing matter. I began to believe that I was permanently frozen at 1__ (it's higher than you think), and that I should go ahead and have the number tatooed on my forehead.

So this week I bought a scale. Actually I bought two. One basic scale and one with bells and whistles (body fat, hydration percentage, weight change, etc). I dunno. Maybe the disaster of driving to the gym to weigh made me decide that I could serve up drastic disappointment at home and save gas. I left both of them in the box for a week.

Well this morning, I got both of them out.

I took the plain Jane one out of it's box and stepped on it to weigh. 81.5 lbs is what the scale told me. OH GREAT! Now I have a broken scale. I opened up and tried the fancy scale....82.5. Two broken scales? OK...maybe it's me. I called the maker of the plain scale and sat on hold for 15 minutes to be told that I can't weigh on carpet :|

I knew that...UGH...

So to the tile we go. I stepped on and weighed. I stared at the wall in front of me thinking that it was pointless to look down at the numbers. I finally got up enough guts to look down....and.....I'd gone down five pounds from the previous week and two pounds from my stable weight. What does this mean? I'm within FIVE POUNDS of my short-term weight loss goal.!!!

I CAN FINALLY CHANGE MY TICKER!

Now the only question remaining is...DO I DARKEN THE DOORS OF STARBUCKS TO CELEBRATE?

Hmmmm...the jury is still out on that one :)

Oh...and the fancy scale is going back. I decided I can only handle one set of numbers right now. I'm obsessed enough as it is. Body fat, hydration, and weight change might just send me over the top.

This party is getting crowded....

Tue, 6 Mar 2007 23:25:00 -0600

The last time I checked, the count over at the party was over 800! There is NO WAY I can make it through the list...well..not and get the dishes done :) So I've devised a strategy. It will allow me to get through the list in my own way. I won't be able to hit them all but I can hit more than a few in a random fashion and still have time to keep my kiddos from ripping my house to shreds!

I'm hitting multiples of 5's. This is giving me a sense of accomplishment so that I can move through the list and feel like I'm actually getting somewhere. Now, I am stopping every now and then to grave a "non-multiple" that looks interesting but the idea is not to stop too often or else my strategy won't work.

As the week draws to a close I may just randomly pick another starting point and continue with multiples but we'll see.

I can say that I've met a few neat folks and added to my blogs-to-check list. The party idea was wonderful for a meet and greet.

OK...now on to tackle my list.

What's your strategy?

People Want To Know - How Do You Have Time to Blog?

Sun, 4 Mar 2007 11:12:00 -0600

Well let's just say that I don't always have the time :) .....

Welcome to My Blog Party

Fri, 9 Mar 2007 23:59:00 -0600

This post will be a "sticky post" at the top of my Blog until March 9th!
Scroll past it if you want to see other stuff I've written during the week!

Welcome to my blog party....and I'm Chrystal writing from deep in the heart of Texas. I'm married to one a giant of a man (inside and out) and I am the proud homeschooling mother of four!

This photo below is a year old but it will have to suffice for now :)

I blog because every other member of my family has a presence on the web for their line of work and I'm ~~jealous~~ proud of them. I figure that since motherhood and growing people is my line of work, my ~~escapades~~ journey should be worthy of web presence too! You can check out the links for my family members on the sidebar.

I have two blogs, one for daily Mommy life and one for the more deep and thoughtful side of me. If you want to learn a little about me you can start with reading about some weird things, or you could start with some thoughts on weight gain and weight loss, or I guess you could read some material on homeschooling. Here at the chronicles, recipes find there way into a post every now and again as do general homemaking thoughts and ideas...although I would have to say that Motherhood is the main jist of this blog (Whew, that was a mouthful!). Inspiration is the main jist of the other blog. If you check out my other blog, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the idea of combining the two. I write a little about a lot of different things. Visitors to my blog never know what they'll run into! So enjoy my little party corner of the Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5 minutes for Mom!

Now I tried to think of what might make this blog have a "party feel". I don't know how to put music on the site, but I do know how to post videos. Hope you get a kick from this video of my 3yo enjoying bathtime!

Be sure to check out more blogging ladies participating in the Ultimate Blog Party. You can find the list of blogs by clicking on the image below and scrolling down a bit.. The fun will be going on until March 9th!