I am the mother of a great little boy whom, for the sake of this blog I'll call "Hitman" - not because he's violent but because that's his Football Nickname. Hitman is my world... he is the kindest soul I've ever known - and I gave birth to him! What a lucky woman I am. I am a devoted wife and mom - and am really and truly still learning how to do both with grace. We've made the decision to homeschool - now life just needs to cooperate! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:54:00 -0600 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:54:00 -0600 Last night I sat down and created a list of things that need to be done this week, ok - so it started as a list of things to be done today - but by the time I got into it I realized I was setting myself up for failure.  My morning started at 7AM and this is how it progressed. 1) Make coffee 2) Feed dogs  - now lest you skim over this like it's no big deal, you must understand that this involves feeding the geriatric dog a mixture of dry dog food, wet dog food, cooked green beans and eggs and feeding the young whippersnapper a mixture of yogurt and pumpkin.  Oh - and keeping them separate from one another while they eat.  Last week I would have told you that my older dog was probably not going to be long for this world.  He has progressively lost weight, was incapable of walking a straight line and while he didn't seem to be in pain, he was constantly trembling.  After a trip to the vet, and $400 later - he was given a B12 shot, Rimadyl and Tramadyl and my dog is walking, running a playing again!  13 year old and he's acting like a pup.  We're trying to fatten him up and add some muscle tone - now that his balance is better he doesn't mind standing to eat.  The younger dog has been throwing up a lot so we're feeding yogurt and pumpkin to settle his stomach down a bit. 3) Medicate dogs - see above. 4) Vacuum and Steam Clean carpets - again see above: pup throwing up all over - quite a mess! 5) Start dinner - pork in crockpot for pulled pork sandwiches 6) Laundry (I did 8 loads of laundry today!  8!!!!  And... I'm still not done)  Sheets are all washed and the beds are remade 7) Lunch for Hubby - ham sandwiches on homemade wheat bread. 8) Put together stuff for Goodwill (4 bags ready to be delivered WOOHOO! 9) House Fairy visit.  The House Fairy visited my son today and brought him Pokemon Cards with a reminder to keep up the good work 10) Serve dinner, clean up kitchen 11) Get dough ready to rise for tomorrows 4 loaves of bread. 12) Put together game plan (Hitman prefers for me not to call it a Lesson Plan, LOL!) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/483418/ Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:54:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/483418/ I'm giving up guilt.  I'm tired of feeling guilty for things that I can't change.  When I was working, I felt guilty that I wasn't spending as much time on schoolwork with Hitman as I felt that I should.  I determined that "if only" I were home more, he and I could spend hours a day sitting around the kitchen table learning.  Well, now that I AM home - I have to say, I would rather scrub the toilet with a toothbrush than to sit around the kitchen table for hours doing anything!   I've been feeling guilty because we don't "DO" school very much.  We tend to watch movies, read books, have discussions and of course watch tv, run errads and clean house.  BUT - he's learning.  This year the most important thing that he's learned is that learning is not a drag!  He gets excited about learning now.  He thinks it's fun.  I've read all kinds of information about education styles and I've given up trying to find our place.  We're not quite Charlotte Mason because we don't read a lot of "great literature and living books" - we read "A History of US; the making of 13 colonies", we're certainly not school-at-home (it didn't work in school - I wasn't even going to try it), i guess we're eclectic - we do a little bit of everything and it works.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/482379/ Sun, 17 Feb 2008 07:34:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/482379/ I was up this morning at 6:30 thanks to the Thunderstorm outside.  I guess it was God's way of telling me - "Ok, time to get up - there's things to be done!"  By 7:30 I had a load of laundry in the machine, dinner in the crockpot and all of the cabinet fronts in my kitchen wiped down.  Hitmans schooling is planned for the day.  I am working on a game for he and I to play to help him learn his Multiplication tables and things are good.  He and I must go out for a bit this morning - the dogs need some medicine, we need to pick up some Birthday cards and I just learned that our next door neighbor is in the hospital.. so we'll pick up some flowers and go see her this morning. Tonights dinner is Glazed Pork Roast with Carrots and Potatos.  I will make an Apple Cake for dessert.  I expect good things for this day and know that they will come!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/474812/ Tue, 5 Feb 2008 08:14:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/474812/ It's amazing to me how you can be going about your every day life, doing your every day things and all of a sudden God can freeze you in your steps!  Things are changing so quickly in my spiritual life right now that it's really almost all I can do to just hang on and go along for the ride. I grew up in Church, was saved at 6 years old.  My faith in God has never really changed, but my practice did.  I have not always lived my life in a way that was pleasing to God.  But a few months ago Hitman asked me if we could go back to church. So we did.  Because while I'm not in the habit of giving into everything that he asks for - I'm pretty sure that if your 10 year old son asks to go to church - it's probably a pretty good idea to take him.  After all Jesus told us to let the little children come to Him.... That first Sunday was the first moment that I had - I am so used to inspecting a church based on whether I could get my husband to come with me that I sat there thinking, "Nope - he wouldn't like this..." and it was like all of a sudden God said to me, "He's not here - you are.  DO YOU LIKE THIS?"  and the answer was yes, I liked the church very much.  It was definitely more pentacostal than any church that I had ever been to - but I liked it!  And when I left, I felt charged. Hitman asked for a new Bible...  he had a black King James Bible that he had asked for when he was 5 - but he wanted one made for kids.  So - we went to buy one.  While we were at the Christian Book Store, I decided that perhaps I needed a new Bible too!  My Bible was fairly old, a King James Version and I rarely read it... funny, I rarely read Shakespeare either - I like things written in plain English.  I bought an NIV Pink Bible!  It's so pretty and the leather is so soft and best of all - I can read it without having to translate! While we were there, Hitman and i looked at the music.  He's been leaning towards a lot of rap and rock music that is just inappropriate for him to listen to.  While I've never been a fan of Contemporary Christian Rock, (I prefer Southern Gospel or Country Music) I thought we would look and see if we couldn't find him something that he would enjoy listening to - and that I wouldn't mind him listening to.  We found a group called 33 Miles.  We have fallen in love with this CD!  There is a song on the CD called "When I get where I'm going" and it brings tears to my eyes everytime I listen to it!  So, once again balance is restored and Hitman and I can listen to the same music. Yesterday Prince Charming and I were talking to one of our neighbors.   He  was telling us about his family and some of the kids in the neighborhood.  I've sort of lost track of a lot of things since Hitman and I started homeschooling... at any rate he said, "Hey, I don't know if you've heard but the 'A's' (A family in the neighborhood) have gone full out religious"  I said, "Oh?  How so?"  He said, "They're not listening to any music other than Gospel music, they're going to church every Sunday, D quit his band..I mean it's weird!"  I looked at my husband and said, "Hmmmm.. seems to be a lot of that going around, hu?"  My neighbor said that they've gone "full-scale Baptist" - which cracked me up having been raised in the Baptist church.  He said it like it was absolutely horrible! LOL!  I said, "Well C, I have to thank the Lord for that... I've had some changes in my life too and it's amazing what God can do when you let him."  He said, "I don't have a problem with people becoming Christians, it's when they make a total 180 that I have an issue with it."  I just kind of smiled and said, "Ya know, as Christians that's what we all pray for is that people WILL make a total 180 and that God will change their lives.  He works fast a lot of times!"  I've thought of that conversation most of the day yesterday and this morning.  I'm so glad to hear that things have changed for our neighbors... they are a wonderful family and I hope that if you're reading this you'll keep them in your prayers. Another conversation with God happened for me this morning.  I was talking to my husband and we were talking about the incredible rains that we were having this morning.  My father had been over a few days ago and was talking about the "deluge" that we were supposed to get.  Now... I guess I need to back up and explain that my father is an amazing man.  He is one of the most compassionate, sincere people I've ever known.  But, he is of course not without his quirks.  One of those quirks is that he will hear a word that sounds neat to him and then he will use it over and over again in conversation (often times whether he truly knows the meaning or not).  This was the case the other day - he must have said the word "deluge" 5 or 6 times in the span of 10 sentences.  So this morning, I turned to my husband jokingly and said, "I guess we got that deluge that dad was talking about".  We both kind of laughed and all of a sudden in the back of my mind I heard "Honor thy mother and father".  LOL - and it hit me, God probably didn't mean "Honor thy mother and father... when your a child and living at home".  He said, "honor thy mother and father" - so again, I had an epiphany... as an adult do I honor my mother and father?  Do I speak of them with kindness and concern?  Do I show them the respect that is their due?  No - not always.  Now, I'm not a terrible daughter - I love my parents and have a very, very close relationship with them.  We see them several times a week and I am always available to help them with anything that they need... but I am not always as kind with my words as I am with my actions... and one without the other is simply not good enough.  So I will strive to be kinder in my words. Yes, the Lord is making some great changes in my life.  I am more content now that I have ever been.  My house is coming to order - in more ways than one. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/474810/ Tue, 5 Feb 2008 07:25:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/474810/ I am supposed to be creating my grocery list right now - but I confess, I am procrastinating.  I have successfully completed 2 weeks of planning meals and sticking with my plan.  I have the next 2 weeks planned and will be going to the grocery tomorrow.  Prince Charming has to go out of town for a few days so it's just Hitman and me.  Here's what's on the menu: 28th - Lunch:  leftover white chicken chili  Dinner:  Hamburgers/Tater Tots 29th:  Lunch:  Beef/Barley Soup  Dinner:  Baked Ranch Chicken/Salad 30th:  Lunch:  Chicken Salad  Dinner:  Planned night eating out at Long John Silvers 31st:  Lunch:  Sandwiches and tomato soup  Dinner:  Meatloaf/Peas and Pasta Salad 2/1:  Lunch: Split Pea Soup/Grilled Cheese  Dinner:  Chicken Barley Veg Soup 2/2:  Lunch:  Meatloaf sandwiches  Dinner:  Hot chicken salad 2/3  Lunch:  leftover chicken salad  Dinner:  Roast Pork/Baked Potatos/Salad 2/4  Lunch: Sandwiches/Cottage Cheese  Dinner:  Chicken Parmesan 2/5  Lunch:  Soup and Sandwiches  Dinner:  Pulled Pork Sandwiches/ Salad 2/6 Lunch  Pasta Salad Dinner:  Coffee Pot Roast 2/7 Lunch Chicken Caesar Salads  Dinner:  Chicken Tortilla bake 2/8 Lunch:  Chicken fingers/tater tots  Dinner:  Homemade Pizza On the cleaning schedule this week is:  the Living Room and Dining Room FlyLady has these as different zones... but in my house they're connected... cleaning one and not the other is just simply not possible.   I'm also going to go shopping for paint.  I have a very small room off of my laundry room (calling my laundry room a "room" is an exaggeration... it's also very small) that I am planning to give a makeover.  I simply need to reclaim that space.  Prince Charming is going to build a cabinet and give me a countertop to fold clothes on.  1/2 of it will be for laundry and the other 1/2 will be food storage.  I plan to paint it a very pale yellow.  I can't wait!!! This week Hitman will be studying the solar system.  We're continuing our examination of the 13 colonies.  And in Math, we're continuing basic geometry.  I had a homeschool proud moment this afternoon.  Hitman and I were playing golf on his PS2 and he had a putter that would go 90 ft.  The hole was 30 feet away.  He estimated that he needed to go to the first line (which was 1/3 of the way).  He was so proud of himself because he USED math in every day life - and it WORKED! Well that's about it for today... I hope that you all have a fabulous week! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/469276/ Sun, 27 Jan 2008 17:54:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/469276/ I am really loving being at home.  Last night I made a french toast souffle that could be put in the oven this morning.  My boys had a homemade, nutritious meal to start their day.  I have done 3 loads of laundry, ironed a batch of clothes, started dinner for this evening and it's only 1:30PM! We're not schooling today because it is MLK day and Hitman has a friend over.  Prince Charming and I were talking earlier and I told him that I feel like a kid in a candy store... the possibilities seem endless.  When we want to take vacations now, I need only worry about his schedule... Hitman and I are free!  If I want to take Hitman to KY to see my elderly grandmother - we can do it.... anytime!  Instead of spending a rushed week in Boston this summer - we can go for 2 weeks!  That gives us time to explore the historical parts of Boston that we've missed in the past because we didn't want to take time away from family. Next week I'm going to start stripping wallpaper in my large pantry/small room off the laundry room.  Prince Charming is going to build a cabinet and we're going to put a folding counter in it so that my laundry room is more user-friendly.  Then, I'm going to go through my collection of junk in the basement so that we can have some more usable space down there.  Right now it's just a catch-all.  I truly feel like God has given me the opportunity to catch up on all the things that I have not had the time or energy to do! Thank you God for all that you've given me! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/465352/ Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:35:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/465352/ So - doesn't everyone who gets laid off decide that it's the perfect time to plan a vacation?  LOL.  Praise God that we are financially sound enough to be able to do this.... Hitman has never been on a real vacation.  With family in Colorado, Kentucky and Boston - all of our vacation time has always been spent going to see family.  Family is important to us so that has never seemed like a sacrifice.  However, Hitman has wanted to go to Disney for a long time... but no matter how we looked at it, I never had enough vacation time and with his sports  - there was never a good time to go.  Not to mention the expense... We've become really good friends with the family of one of Hitman's friends.  I REALLY love these people!  They are Christians, they are kind, they have great morals, I like the way that they are with their kids, I like the way that they are with each other... we just have so much fun with them!  We've decided to all go to Disney together.  With 2 families splitting the cost of a condo and the rental of a vehicle to drive to Florida - it's actually not a bad price!  This gives me a great motivation for losing weight too!  Being heavier - one of my biggest fears of roller coasters has been that I might get on one and the belt wouldn't fasten or the bar wouldn't be able to lock and i'd have to exit the ride... I have 10 months to lose the weight.  And all the time in the world! Life is SOOOO good! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/465105/ Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:20:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/465105/ Ok, my family eats out... ALOT!   My husband and I have been married for 2 1/2 years and we dated for 2 years before that... I can honestly say that on average we have eaten out or ordered in about 4 times a week.  So... one of my New Years Resolutions was to start planning meals and cooking more often.  Hitman is wanting to watch his weight so that he can remain ball eligible for Football and well, both Prince Charming and I need to take off a few pounds.  On the 13th I sat down with my brand new FlyLady Calendar and made a 2 week menu plan for dinners.  This is what it looked like: 14th - Cheese and Broc. soup/ Turkey Sandwiches 15th - Chicken Rice and Broc Casserole 16th - Crockpot Beef Stew 17th - Chicken and Mustard Cream Sauce, Egg Noodles and Green Beans 18th - Eat out (we went to the Planetarium this night and were going to be gone most of the night) 19th - Orange Beef and Brocolli 20th - Sloppy Joes, Pasta Salad and Caesar Salad 21st - Taco Cassrole 22nd - Pasta and Meatballs 23rd - Chicken and Dumplings 24th - Homemade Pizza 25th - Crock Pot Country Style Chicken   I am proud to say that I have stuck to the plan and have cooked good, nutritious meals for my family all week!  I went to GFS and purchased a large package of Chicken Breast lunch meat that was unsliced for $13.  I brought it home and sliced it myself - we've been eating chicken sandwiches for lunch with fruit.  Prince Charming has to go out of town at the end of the month for vacation.  This will be the first time that all of his clothes to take will be washed and ironed before he actually has to put them in the suitcase.  I've already begun washing and ironing.  It gives me an immense sense of pride and accomplishment to feel that I'm taking care of my family well. Hitman has been assigned chores - and has been sticking to them.  He is to empty the dishwasher daily, gather the trash on Tuesdays, clean his bathroom on Thursdays and clean the ferret cage as needed.  I have always had a hard time asking him to do chores because I got frustrated when they weren't done to my satisfaction.  I've learned that it doesn't have to be perfect everytime.  On the back of his bathroom door, I've written a list of what needs to be done to make sure that the bathroom is clean.  We're working on learning where all the dishes go - but if he doesn't know where they go, he puts them on the stove and then I will tell him where to put those things.  He seems to like feeling that he is helping and I've begun giving him an allowance. For the first time in a long time - I feel like my household has a prayer of being run efficiently, effectively and the way that I always wanted it to! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/465096/ Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:04:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/465096/ I am a professional recruiter.  I have been for many years.  I can't say that it is a career that I have loved but I'm a good recruiter and it has paid my bills and helped me to provide for my family.  The aspects of my job that I have always loved were working with candidates who needed help with their resumes, candidates who needed advice on interviewing and assistance working through the process of finding a job.  However, as a recruiter, it is not that aspect of the job that pays the bills. 2 1/2 years ago I married my soul mate.  He was the answer to my prayers and is a wonderful father and provider.   When we married we put my house up for sale and have had it for sale since then.  My son was in such a dire situation in Public School that we made the very difficult decision to bring him home and homeschool him - even though it was imperative that I still work and bring in enough money to cover the mortgage for my old house.  I did, however reduce my schedule and worked only 3 days a week. For several months now, I have worked as a recruiter, homeschooled in the evenings and on days off, scrambled to try to take care of my home, my husband and everything else that comes with being a wife, a mother, a sister and a daughter.  To be honest... I felt stretched more than a little thin!  To top it off, I have not been attending church. I've been feeling the pull to be home for quite some time.  I've wanted to stay home with my family.  I've wanted to be here every day with my son... these days and years are passing and I know that I can never get this time back.  It became harder and harder to go to work.  Two days before Christmas, my home sold.  I always said that it would take the right buyer at the right time.  We had done everything to try to sell this home... 4 different realtors, several reductions in price... you name it, we tried it!  Then I received a call from a sweet little elderly woman who said that over the Thanksgiving holiday their home had burnt down.  They came to see it and fell in love with it!  Even the ugly pink carpet that was in the Master Bedroom! LOL!  With the house sold, we were planning to finally be able to put my income towards paying off our car, saving for Hitman's education and basically just giving us a little more cushion. Recently, my son began asking to go to church.  Listen to me well... when they say that the Lord speaks with a still, small voice... believe it!  In this case, He spoke in the voice of a beautiful blonde haired 10 year old boy.  So... last weekend we went to church.  This was a church like none that I had ever been to.  I've been to Pentecostal churches in the past... but never one quite SOOO Pentecostal!  I have never seen people so energetic on a Sunday morning in my entire life!  When I left, I felt uplifted and exhausted all at the same time.  But while I was there... I had several AHA moments.  FIrst, I should share... my husband is not a born again Christian (so any of you who feel compelled to add a prayer to your daily prayers - I would appreciate it!).  One of the things that has kept me from going to church is that my husband is not keen on going, and I must admit that instead of showing him by example - I fell into sleeping in on Sunday mornings and well, I put God in the backseat of my life.  So, I walk into this church and after the first 20 minutes of praise and worship, I must have said to myself at least 15 times, "My husband would not like it here...".  Finally, I had the most calm feeling come over to me and the thought occured to me... "THIS is not about your husband.  HE is not the one who is here..."  WIth that, I realized, I was EXACTLY where I needed to be! So I prayed... something like this:  "Open my heart to this church, put me where you need me.  Mold my life into what it needs to be.  Allow me to be an example to my husband.  Make this time about YOU and me.   Help me to be the wife, the mother and the servant that I need to be for your Lord."   Hitman and I have begun having devotions together every night before bed.  I have been in a constant state of prayer.  I received my new FlyLady calendar and for the first time ever - I managed to plan 2 full weeks of meals.  I was sick on Monday so I did not go to work.  On Tuesday I went to work feeling on top of the world!  I had my home in order.  However, the longer I was at work - the more I thought about home.  By the time I got home on Tuesday night - I was almost homesick.  Wednesday is my normal day off.  Hitman and I ran some errands and did our schoolwork.  On Thursday morning, I awakened feeling like I had been hit by a MACK truck!  I SOOOO did not want to go to work.  Every bit of joy in work was gone.  At 10:00 AM on Thursday morning I was called into a meeting with my boss and Human Resources.  Our HR Representative told me in a very somber tone that she was very sorry, but because of budget constraints and cutbacks, they were reducing recruiters in the Permanent Placement Division. Now, I'm fairly certain that the woman thought that I was about to have a breakdown because the smile on my face was HUGE!  They offered me a months severance and told me that they would not contest my unemployment.  All I could think was, THANK YOU JESUS!  The only trepidation that I felt was calling my dear husband and telling him that I no longer had a job.  Bless his heart, all he said was, "Pack your things and come home.  I'll be here.  I love you and it will be ok" With a light step I walked back into my office and chatted with the HR Rep and my boss while I packed my belongings.  I thanked them for the blessing of working at the company and told them that if they had to let someone go - I was glad that they had chosen me. I was home on Thursday in time to make sure that my boys ate a good lunch and to spend time with them.  I can't honestly tell you that I haven't had moments when I've been angry.  Losing your job isn't fun...even under the best of circumstances...but I recognize it for what it is... my pride is hurt!  And I know that my pride will survive!  I am just so thankful for this opportunity to be home.  I LOVE that for the first time in my sons life, when someone asks me what I do, I can say, "I'm a Stay At Home Mom!"  WOOHOO!  Thank you Jesus! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/464174/ Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:46:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/464174/ 1 month, 1 week and 3 days.  That's how long it took of basically doing nothing educational for Hitman to realize that he missed it.  Right before the holidays we had gotten to a point where Hitman had every excuse under the sun of why he couldn't possibly finish his work... so, I decided not to do any traditional schoolwork in December.  Starting with his birthday on November 27th - we began studying Christmas.  We read Christmas books, watched Christmas movies, worked on some Christmas lapbooks, studies Christmas symbols, sang Christmas movies... we did no "real school".  Now... sure I snuck things in, like comparative math when we were shopping, some writing (have to write those lists), etc... but we really relaxed over the Holidays. The change started when I saw him CHOOSE to watch educational programming on the discovery Channel or Animal Planet.  Then the question of, "Mom, what are the laws of physics?".  Then, "When are we going to start learning again?" (A question that was so well timed as to make milk spew out of my husbands nose!) And so we've begun schooling again in earnest.  We've found age-friendly information on the laws of physics, we're learning more about the Puritans (still in Joy Hakim's Making Thirteen Colonies), still working on Spelling and Geometry... but this time Hitman seems to understand that he is capable of doing this work... and he is learning it not to achieve a grade - but because he wants to learn!  In other news... remember that house that I had written about?  You know, the one that I had been trying to sell for 3 years?  Right after Thanksgiving I received a call from a lady who was interested.  She said that her grandson had burnt their home down playing with fireworks over Thanksgiving.  They decided to buy it!  We gave her our asking price (and we were fully prepared to go substantially lower)... as it turned out, their insurance money covered almost what we were asking... we were only off by $3K.  So... I am no longer paying 2 mortgages and they  have a home that they are happy with!  Furthermore... we were able to help them out with furniture as we had all of my old furniture sitting around from my single-mom days. It was decent furniture - just no longer my style.  I ordered my Flylady calendar.  This is my year!  I am going to get organized, cook better meals and take better care of my family!  Hitman and I have come up with a daily list of chores for him to do.  I have been lax in that area - not wanting to assign too much to him because his homework used to take soooo long... but, he no longer has "homework", he is capable of putting away dishes, cleaning a bathroom and folding laundry.  I am slowly learning that although I am the keeper of the home - I don't have to do it all!  There is a difference between being the keeper of the home and being someone's housekeeper.  It is my job to train my family to take care of themselves.  Wow... talk about your major AHA moment!!! I wish you all a very Happy New Year and pray that it will be your best yet! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/457600/ Tue, 8 Jan 2008 11:49:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/livingonlove/457600/