Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

I know that I must seem like a curriculum schizophrenic (sp?), but we have finally found something that the kids are thriving on AND that I can deal with.  Sonlight!  We bought the whole shebang.  I LOVE that the planning is done for me for the entire year AND that they sent EVERY book that we will need in 4 huge boxes. 

We even got the science lab kits!  I mean, everthing is right here for us.  I don't even have to go to the library.  (even though we will anyway)  So, we have our Bible, History, Geography, Read-Alouds, Language, Readers, Spelling, Vocabulary, Math, Science, Music, and Art all covered!!!

Though I enjoy planning and researching it was really burning me out.  With three kiddos I just can't do it all and have a life outside of homeschooling too.  So, Sonlight is such a blessing. 

OK, enough of my raving.  I am just so happy and relieved!

We are also doing homeschool PE for three hours each week, soccer leagues, Ballet/Tap (for Sarah), Pioneer Club, Children's Choir, and Sunday School.  We have three zoo classes lined up and several plays to attend too.  And, DH let us get annual passes for the zoo and the science museum/planetarium.

We have MORE than enough to keep us busy. (especially with my gym membership )

Ta Ta!

Well, an entire year after the hurricane we are finally getting our new roof.  Here are the choices.  The kiddos will have fun watching the whole roofing process I suppose.

or

Well, after pondering all summer about curriculum and activities, I think we are all set.  I have dived back into the curriculum that I am most comfortable with (WTM).  We even have a daily schedule to follow. 

As far as activities, here they are:

Mikey- Sunday School, Church, Homeschool PE, Community Soccer League, Children's Choir, Pioneer Club (church), weekly Library visits, several plays throughout the year at the local theater, and monthly dates with Mommy and Daddy. 

Sarah- Sunday School, Church, Homeschool PE, Soccer, Pioneer Club, Ballet/Tap class, Library, plays, and dates with Mommy and Daddy.

Matthew- lots of one-on-one time with Mommy!  Potty Training????

And, once I reach my weightloss goal we might make weekly visits to our local pool.  (I really miss our old house where we had our own pool.)

Oh, and we got family annual memberships to the zoo and the Science Museum.  So, we have some great fieldtrips all set to go.

As for me, I have scheduled in time to go to the gym 4 times each week and work with my personal trainer two of those times in addition to doing cardio.  I am also doing W.W. online/at home.  So, I have NO excuse to not get healthy and thin again. 

I feel a million miles away from where I was three weeks ago.  I was actually trying to come up with the money for tuition at our church's private school.  I had decided that I just couldn't handle homeschooling.  But, thankfully, the money is just not to be found.  God knows best!  And, he has energized me and my attitude. 

Blessings!

Why is it that EVERY time we put our 1 year old in the church nursery we all end up with colds the next week.  It is driving me crazy!!!  They claim to clean the toys each week.  And, they have strict rules about not allowing sick kids in there.  Ugh!  Is there anything I can do??? 

I saw this on a billboard today:

"Worrying is the misuse of your imagination."

I like that.  It reminds me to think positively and to be optimistic.  Trust God and let it go.

I am trying to compile a nice long list of chapter books to read with the children.  If you wouldn't mind commenting on a few of your favorites, I would really appreciate it!!!

THANKS!!!

Hi!

DH and his parents took Mikey and Sarah to see some WWII airplanes.  They had a great (and educational) time.

Here are all three of my sweeties!

Well, I finally decided that I needed something of *my own*.  So, I joined a gym that has on site childcare, and I will also see a personal trainer once a week!!! 

This is a HUGE deal for me.  I am the type of mommy that feels guilty if I take time for a shower let alone a full workout.  But, I NEED to do this for my sanity and health. 

I have gone 4 times since I joined on Wednesday.  And, I have to say that I already feel better mentally.  Just taking that time for myself has been a huge blessing for my family.

Now, my ultimate goal is to get back into my size sixes.   But that will take a little time.

Fortunately, my three kiddos love the Kid Klub at the gym.  So, there is a little less guilt for me. 

Anyway, I am now trying to work all of this *me time* into a workable homeschooling schedule.  I am so used to diving into school first thing in the morning.  But, I really feel better if I do my workout first thing. 

I think that I can make it there and back and get showered by 10:30 each morning.  Then we would do school until lunch and then finish up after lunch.  I hope that they kiddos will be flexible.

I am really excited about all of this.  My husband is still skeptical that I will stay motivated.  But, I think that the membership fees alone will keep me going if nothing else does.

Mikey and Sarah's soccer practices ended up being on Wednesday nights at 5PM.  With our church activities starting at 6:15 that just was too much.  Add to that, me having to bounce back and forth between the two fields (with Matty in the stroller) and it was asking too much of this mommy. 

It is only the Spring "Mini-Season" so the kiddos will just have to get over it.  They will start back in the Fall.  I also felt bad for Mikey because several of the boys on his team had their fathers out their with them.  (They were all helping the main coach.)  Daddy just can't get away from work right now.

But, Sarah still has ballet, and Mikey has choir and Pioneer Club.  That is plenty.

Well, it seems pretty evident that one or most likely two of our kiddos are gifted.  They are not just ahead but gifted in that quirky sort of way.  Mikey is about 3 grade levels ahead in his reading level and about 2 grades in math.  Sarah is about one grade ahead in everything.  Mikey is definitely showing several of the characteristics of giftedness that I have been reading about in the many library books that I have lugged home.

I don't mentiont this to boast (since I don't feel that I have any control over it anyway).  But, I am feeling a great deal of pressure to keep them challenged.  I don't want to waste this gift.  I know that in a regular school setting they would be bored to tears.  And, since I am the sole person choosing their curriculum right now, I am looking for guidance anywhere I can get it.

Oh, my dear husband agreed to go to this years homeschooling convention!!!  It is in May and I am already so excited.  He is gung ho about homeshooling but has never taken an interest in what  it is that we actually do all day.  So, this will be a nice way to connect for us.  (and some long over-due alone time)

We also have his 20 year high school reunion in April.  I am still on my weight loss trek.  I have 13 weeks left to get to my goal of size 6.  I am getting confident that I will make it. This will also be the weekend of our 10 year wedding anniversary.  So, I have a lot of motivation.  (I am also turning 35 next month which is another motivation to get fit in itself.)

We have so much going on in the next several months.  I want to be fit and healthy and feel really great about myself.  Let's see if my hubby joins in on my big fitness push.

Really!  I am going to stop putting my needs at the bottom of my list of things to do.  Some days I don't even get to take a shower.  That is ridiculous.  The sad thing is that I have done this to myself.  Somewhere along the way I came to believe that doing things for myself (going to the bathroom, taking a shower, blow drying my hair, putting on makeup) is selfish.  I felt guilty taking time to do these things because it took time away from my children. 

Well, what has happened is that I have become tired, cranky, and a bit out of touch with who I am supposed to be (apart from being a mommy).  So!  This is my new experiment.  I am going to take time for myself.  And, I am not going to let myself feel guilty about it.   

My hope is that this will make me a better mother and wife.  I hope that taking time for my needs (and wants too) will refresh me.  After all, my children need to learn that in the real world they won't be catered to.  They need to learn that other people (even mommies) need time for themselves.  Right?

This is a work in progress.  I will keep you posted on how it goes.

I promise to update regularly now.  We are back in the swing of things, finally.  First, I am going to do some redecorating to my blog.  Wish me luck!

Hi!

We have finally recovered from Hurricane Wilma.  We just had roof and fence damage.  We lost power for a few days and relocated to my parents.

But, we are back and settling into our routine again.  School took a two week break.  (But, the public schools did too so, oh well.)

My diet is still going alright.  I haven't lost anymore through all of this, but I haven't gained any back either.  So, I count that as a success.

More later!

Let's just say that I can't remember the last time I was away from my kiddos.  Our MOPS group is going to Macaroni Grill!!!!  I have to figure out my Weight Watchers points for tomorrow so that I don't go over my limit.  Hmmm...maybe a nice salad and an appetizer of some sort???

Poor Daddy will have to tend to the 3 kiddos.  Actually, Matthew goes to bed at 7PM so he will only have to tend to him for about 20 minutes.   Then Mikey and Sarah get in bed to read at 8PM.  So, he will have it pretty easy.  But, I suppose I will have to still fix dinner for Daddy.  Not fair.

Anyway, it will be nice to visit with the girls!

Ok, I am going to gripe today.

Why, oh why, are moms so flakey?  I am the Prayer Coordinator for our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group at our church.  I am also in charge of organizing one outing and one Moms' Night Out each month.  Now, whenever I announce an activity I get a really great response.  "Oh, that sounds great!  We will be there!"  Then, I get one person show up.  Grrr....

I have found this to be true in many groups involving moms.  And it isn't just moms with preschoolers either.  I think that it is ALL moms.  I think that we tend to use our kiddos as an excuse to not show up to things that we have committed to a little more than we should.  It is as if we think... "Hmmm, I really don't feel like getting the kids ready and out the door.  Ya know, I think little Billy is coming down with something.  We'll just stay home.  No big deal."  BUT!  It IS a big deal to the other devoted mommies who HAVE dragged their three kids out the door to get to the park on time.

I know, I know, sometimes the kids ARE sick.  But, come on.  This isn't flu season.  Not all of the moms in my group could have sick children at the same time.  (I only had one mom out of 30 show up.  )  I would start taking this personally, but I know better than that.  I have seen this happen over and over. 

I think that we need a lesson in commitment and dedication.  DO what you say you are going to do.  Follow through. Don't be flakey.

OK, I am off of my soapbox for today!  

This is a neat site: Christian Women Today

Our visit with my aunt and uncle went great.  They played and played with the kiddos ALL day long.  Matty got tons of kisses and cuddles.  Mikey and Sarah were thrilled and had so much fun. 

Here are some pictures of the visit:

This is my Aunt Eunice (my father's twin sister) and my Uncle Cliff.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday's celebration. 

Here are the presents before the kids got hold of them.

Mikey was in charge of reading all of the birthday cards.

Matty checking out his loot!

The cake(s)!

Matty LOVED  having his own personal cake!!!

Mommy and Matty

Daddy and Matty

The Three Kiddos

We went to get the kiddos' costumes this morning.  Here is a preview:

This is Sarah as Stephanie (a character from the show Lazy Town on Noggin)

This is Mikey as Darth Vader from Star Wars.

Drooly and snaggle toothed. (but happy)

OK, I am officially 1/4 of the way to my weight loss goal.  It has been just short of 3 weeks since I started.  It really hasn't been that difficult yet.  (And, I really haven't been exercising on a regular basis either.) 

So, I need to get motivated to get moving!

I AM going to be skinny before Christmas!!!!!!!!